Scientists at NASA are looking at new ways to reduce the baggage, which space ships have to carry during inter planetary expeditions. With this in mind, a telescope has been designed to be built on the moon without having to carry more than one tenth of its weight from Earth. 90% of the material needed for the telescope would be procured from the moon. The special material is apparently lunar dust which would be metamorphosed into a concrete like material which can be used instead of glass to build large telescopes.
Moon is an attractive place for astronomical endeavors as there is no atmosphere, which makes it easy for galactic viewing sans blurs and clouding. It is mandatory to keep high-precision mechanical surfaces (joints, bearings, and so on) from being clogged by dust. The moon’s surface is also prone to large temperature swings between daytime and nighttime which would give the scientists the extra responsibility of making sure the telescope wouldn’t melt or freeze. The question of the telescope being manufactured would come into picture only when the NASA would be able to get to the moon in 2020.
Via: Technologyreview
