The Big Moon Dig - Return with us now to the Moon as we are preparing the ground for a real lunar settlement through study, simulations, team building, and exploration.

1. The Task

   If we are ever to settle the Moon, we must use the materials that are there to our upmost ability. When minerals are concentrated to the point that they are of value to us, we call them ores.

   Are you ready to go looking for ores on the Moon?

   -- Spoiler Alert: The supporting notes provide most of the known answers.

2. Enter Your Name

   Please type your name: submit
   * Name:

   -- Note: This can be a Web nickname. What do you want to appear on the BMD Leader Board?
   -- Note: Reentering a name will reset the scoring.

   

3. The Questions

   How may of these questions on choosing a site for a lunar settlement can you get right?

   1. What are the key characteristics of an ore?

      -- [Check all that apply]
      Concentration
      Commercial interest
      Color
      Mass
      Taste
      submit
      
      * Score on this question:

   2. What forces form ores on Earth?

      -- [Check all that apply]
      Plate tectonics
      Water
      Effects of life
      Volcanism
      Meteor strikes
      Other, use text box below
      submit
      * Score on this question:

   3. What natural forces can form ores on the Moon?

      -- [Check all that apply]
      Plate tectonics
      Water
      Effects of life
      Volcanism
      Meteor strikes
      Other, use text box below
      submit
      * Score on this question:

   4. What minerals might be consider ores on the Moon but not on Earth?

      -- [Check all that apply]
      Water in minerals not tightly bound
      Oxygen in minerals not tightly bound
      Rocks and sand with color
      Moose meat casserole
      Other, use text box below
      submit
      * Score on this question:

   5. What minerals, even if not ores, might have special uses on the Moon?

      -- [Check all that apply]
      Lunar regolith in bulk
      Rocks in bulk
      Old equipment, junk
      Old equipment from historic sites
      Other, use text box below
      submit
      * Score on this question:

   6. How might we concentrate ores on the Moon?

      -- [Check all that apply]
      Magnetic separation
      Heating
      Water extraction under heat and pressure
      Water in open vats just like on Earth
      Using large industrial equipment
      Other, use text box below
      submit
      * Score on this question:

      

   7. What instruments could a small rover carry to study minerals?

      -- [Check all that apply]
      Up Florescent Spectrometer
      Slow Neutron detector
      QCM Volatiles Probe
      Electromagnetic penetration meter
      Seismic geophone
      Multiple function strong arm
      Other, use text box below
      submit
      * Score on this question:

   8. What instruments could a large rover carry (that a small one could not) to study minerals?

      -- [Check all that apply]
      SAM of Mars
      Multiple function strong arm
      LIDAR
      Rotary Abrasive Tool (RAT)
      A manned research laboratory
      Other, use text box below
      submit
      * Score on this question:

   9. About how long would it take for a rover to first see a problem and then a new command reach it from Earth?

      -- [Check one]
      0.75 seconds
      1.50 seconds
      2.50 seconds
      3.00 seconds
      4.00 seconds
      submit
      * Score on this question:

   10. How do you move your rover down the mountain to find ore?

       -- [Check all that apply]
       From light pool to light pool
       From communications hot spot to communications hot spot
       While watching the slope very carefully
       Slowly and with great care
       Working as a team
       Full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes
       submit
       * Score on this question:

   

4. Scoring

   Would you like to have your answers scored?

   submit
   * Your quiz score: ____

5. Summing Up

   Would you like to see a summation of your answers?

   submit
   * Your answers:

6. Archiving

   Would you like a summation of your answers to be archived?

   Please enter your E-Mail:

   Can we add you to our mailing list? yes

   How can we make this game better?

   * Your answers have been prepared for archiving: NO

   -- Note: Archiving your results can put you on the BMD Leader Board.
   -- Note: Archiving resets this form.

7. For more Information Contact Us

   If you would like to know more about our project and your lunar settlement design including:

   • Notes for this calculator in pdf which should help you understand how we got our answers.
   • Short stories set in a lunar settlement.

   For farther information please contact us.

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