How can spacecraft manufactured on the moon be powered?

Background: The moon has been selected as the base for human space exploration. Rather than ship tonnes of material out of earth's gravity well, interplanetary spacecraft and space stations will be manufactured on the surface of the moon and launched from there.

A level of industrial capacity allowing the mining and processing of ores has been developed on the moon, as well as manufacturing, and reasonably good material science using moon resources. As a rough guideline, if a material could have been manufactured on earth in the 1970s a reasonable substitute in terms of material properties can now be manufactured on the moon. If you can justify why a material exceeding that standard can be manufactured on the moon, you can use it.

Note: To clarify, the tech level does not need to be restricted to the 1970s (the target is in the future but with minimal additional scientific advances). I have placed this restriction on the level of material science because developing simple structural materials (e.g. steel) on the moon would pose significant challenges, but the details are beyond the scope of the question.

The question: How will these spacecraft manufactured on the moon be powered?

Criteria:

• The more realistic the power source is based on current science the better: Currently implemented > Prototyped > In development > theoretical > hypothetical > impossible
• The raw materials should be found on the moon, with as little mass as possible imported from earth. The more abundant and easily processed the raw materials are the better.
• The answer should explain how the power source is able to power both the craft's propulsion and its other power requirements.
• The end result must be a portable power source for the spacecraft, with both the drive for the spacecraft and any fuels required manufactured and produced on the moon. The same levels of credibility apply to the drive as to the power source.

Note: I am looking for the craft's principal power source. Because some power sources lend themselves more easily to providing propulsion I feel an explanation of the propulsion system used in conjunction with the power source is also necessary.

Examples of power sources

• moon manufactured solar panels with batteries, and an electrically powered propulsion system.
• hydrogen, oxygen, and rocket engines manufactured on the moon.
• space ready nuclear-powered engine made on the moon

Excellent answers will provide evidence for how well developed the power source currently is. Evidence for how well-developed drives which can work with that power source are. Evidence for ores of any crucial raw materials on the moon.

posted about 6 years ago

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