NASA Moon Survival Test
- Thread starter Spinward Scout
- Start date
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
I did reassuringly well 
I'm guessing you mean guns and raft.
I'm guessing you mean guns and raft.
G. Kashkanun Anderson
SOC-13
I did pretty well, but in regards to the original supply catalog, I have to ask: why the hell was I taking a box of matches along on a trip to the moon in the first place?
o:
Was I planning on lighting up a victory stogie once I touched down? Setting up the first domed lunar barbecue stand? Was I commanding a crew of exceptionally-flatulent Koreans? What?!
o:Was I planning on lighting up a victory stogie once I touched down? Setting up the first domed lunar barbecue stand? Was I commanding a crew of exceptionally-flatulent Koreans? What?!
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
...in regards to the original supply catalog, I have to ask: why the hell was I taking a box of matches along on a trip to the moon in the first place?
I was thinking the same thing
Picking the extremes was easy, the middling bits were iffier and less important overall. I did fine by the way (18 pt difference) so I guess we survived
My biggest difference was a single 3, I rated the heater more important thinking about the shadowed areas and the water freezing.As to Scout's question of which wouldn't work I'd have to guess the same as Andrew, the alternate propulsion systems. They would work but I don't see them as being significant thrust. Though I rated the raft on the basis of being a small thing to take in case of incapacitation of one of the crew, just inflate for instant litter. And it might be fun (and fast) for sliding down moon mountains
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Hi
Hi,
I did OK too. I got a total score of 16 (and was never off any of there ranks by more than two). From the list provided I kind of assumed that it was an all round survival kit, for in case you aborted during launch and or return to Earth, as well as if you had any difficulties on the Moon itself.
One thing that struck me though, is that there may be some uses they hadn't thought of. I remeber reading once about a survival training exercise (here on Earth) where they had the trainees only using stuff the foraged, and some of them came up with some really clever ideas, for using what would normally only have been considered trash by us.
Anyway, it was an interesting questionaire.
Regards
PF
Hi,
I did OK too. I got a total score of 16 (and was never off any of there ranks by more than two). From the list provided I kind of assumed that it was an all round survival kit, for in case you aborted during launch and or return to Earth, as well as if you had any difficulties on the Moon itself.
One thing that struck me though, is that there may be some uses they hadn't thought of. I remeber reading once about a survival training exercise (here on Earth) where they had the trainees only using stuff the foraged, and some of them came up with some really clever ideas, for using what would normally only have been considered trash by us.
Anyway, it was an interesting questionaire.
Regards
PF
Posted too soon
Hi Far-trader,
I didn't see your post by the time I posted, but your thoughts about the raft are very much along the lines of what I was trying to get at above. Not only could it possibly make a good emergency litter but it could also possibly be used as an umbrella like object to sheild you from direct sunlight, andif its International Orange in color, it might show up just enough difference to make you easier to spot from above, especially if your space suit is white or light gray.
Just some thoughts.
PF
Hi Far-trader,
I didn't see your post by the time I posted, but your thoughts about the raft are very much along the lines of what I was trying to get at above. Not only could it possibly make a good emergency litter but it could also possibly be used as an umbrella like object to sheild you from direct sunlight, andif its International Orange in color, it might show up just enough difference to make you easier to spot from above, especially if your space suit is white or light gray.
Just some thoughts.
PF
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Hi PF,
I hadn't thought of the colour! (cursed thinking in text instead of pictures )
You're probably right and that's another good point in it's favour, I want to be on your team
I hadn't thought of the colour! (cursed thinking in text instead of pictures
)You're probably right and that's another good point in it's favour, I want to be on your team
I wasn't sure about the raft, but neither the .45 or the flare would work in vacuum. Have to have oxygen for the gunpowder or magnesium to ignite and burn. Although the magnesium might do something funky since it can continue to burn in water.
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far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Nope, the guns will work fine in vacuum, at least as far as firing goes. The shells contain their own oxidizer. The only worries are potential vacuum freezing of moving parts, contamination by dust electrostatically attracted into the weapon, or one of hard freezing causing the metal to become brittle. And it's not clear those are likely concerns or not. But they will fire fine in vacuum, It's an old Traveller debate
Same for the flares I think, an oxidizer is included in the chemical in at least some I've had experience with. Maybe not magnesium flares though, and I'm not too sure what was in the ones I had at the time or if my attempt to extinguish by cutting off air was sufficient to prove they had their own oxidizer
Same for the flares I think, an oxidizer is included in the chemical in at least some I've had experience with. Maybe not magnesium flares though, and I'm not too sure what was in the ones I had at the time or if my attempt to extinguish by cutting off air was sufficient to prove they had their own oxidizer
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Aree with FT: if a .45ACP will fire submerged, it will fire in vacuum. It can be used to blow steps into crater walls...
And the raft is a decent sunshade.
The starmap is useless, since the astronauts have often said you can't see the stars well from Luna due to excessive surface/background contrast.... and the photos tend to support it.
Fritz_Brown
Super Moderator
Lots of road flares have their own oxidizer. That way they're not put out by rain. Survival flares are that way, too. Imagine if the flare in your sea survival kit were put out by simply dropping it in the ocean!
Icosahedron
SOC-14 1K
Question: How do they get the food concentrate and water into their mouths?
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
Only a problem if you can see the surface. Look up!
G. Kashkanun Anderson
SOC-13
Plus, if you land on the side facing Terra (and I can think of at least a few reasons why you'd want to do that in the first place), you can simply orient yourself via the Big Blue Marble in the sky. I mean, it's not like it's really going to go anywhere on its own during your 200-mile trek.
In fact, I think that's what George Jetson did that one time he and Elroy got lost on the moon.
If you're on the bright face, your own suit is enough to fade the stars out.
Lunar survival
Yet, a very pleasant exercise. I scored 28, the stellar map ruined me (I think it useless). Ditto the personal heating unit (which I rated high, depending). Everything else off by no more than 2.
All dresssed up, nowhere to go, I guess. The map seems unnecessary to me, though, I've got a radio, and should have range and bearing (signal strength indicator on the radio is fairly standard).
The moon has a 2 week day/night cycle, I value the heater in case we are near to 'night'.
The pistols for blasting handholds and steps is pretty clever. Explosive bolts work in vacuum. They are essentially funny looking cartridges.
I wonder how the choices would change if we factored encumberance and bulk? I'd still take the Oxygen and Water first, no matter the weight or bulk. The heater and case of milk become pretty silly, as do the guns.
The raft would be the backpack/travois for the rest, as well as a litter. If it's international Orange, so much the better.
Could a Demo skilled person rig an explosive device, using mag flares, gunpowder, matches, water, dehydrated milk? Perhaps a signal device, big shower of milk, to leave a 'here I am' mark in white powder on the moon surface.
Will offer this to my Traveller players next time (Saturday week.) Offered as an exercise in survival logic. Good stuff.
Yet, a very pleasant exercise. I scored 28, the stellar map ruined me (I think it useless). Ditto the personal heating unit (which I rated high, depending). Everything else off by no more than 2.
All dresssed up, nowhere to go, I guess. The map seems unnecessary to me, though, I've got a radio, and should have range and bearing (signal strength indicator on the radio is fairly standard).
The moon has a 2 week day/night cycle, I value the heater in case we are near to 'night'.
The pistols for blasting handholds and steps is pretty clever. Explosive bolts work in vacuum. They are essentially funny looking cartridges.
I wonder how the choices would change if we factored encumberance and bulk? I'd still take the Oxygen and Water first, no matter the weight or bulk. The heater and case of milk become pretty silly, as do the guns.
The raft would be the backpack/travois for the rest, as well as a litter. If it's international Orange, so much the better.
Could a Demo skilled person rig an explosive device, using mag flares, gunpowder, matches, water, dehydrated milk? Perhaps a signal device, big shower of milk, to leave a 'here I am' mark in white powder on the moon surface.
Will offer this to my Traveller players next time (Saturday week.) Offered as an exercise in survival logic. Good stuff.
Nope. It should be obvious that ammunition doesn't need air to go off, from the fact that cartridges are sealed airtight. Signal flares are not illumination flares, and don't work by burning magnesium. They don't need air either.
I agree. Don't you know the stars well enough to navigate by them as well as anyone can without instruments?
The raft would burn-up/melt under the solar radiation. The gun issue was addressed in TAS, back when Traveller was first published. Astronauts reportidly state that you can see a lot when travelling through space. Photography not being able to pick up stars on the lunar surface is about the same as trying to take pictures of stars here on Earth with a commercial 35mm camera. It doesn't work. The issue is with the power of the stars luminosity. Film and digital storage media, unless the film or chip in question is extremely sensitive, will not pick up starlight without prolonged exposure times.
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