Re: cheap lunar gear & base (spin-off of superhero flight)

::: A pressure cooker is the first thing that comes to mind. 
::: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_cookersays
most standard
::: pressure cookers sold in the US can hold a one-atmosphere difference
::: and there's probably a goodly safety margin there. 

Would the gaskets on a standard pressure cooker last long under lunar
conditions?  They might, but I wouldn't be confident.  The pressure
cookers of my distant yoot had valves that regulated pressure based on
weight of a little metal widget that fit over a vent; is that still that
case?  If so, lunar gravity would cause problems for an unmodified cooker.
And therefore you'd probably have to be careful to plug up the vent
in such a way that the plug would well withstand lunar conditions, and
also not leak (ie, ou couldn't just crimp it shut... braizing or welding
might work, but then there's less reason to start with a pressure cooker).

Oh, and of course, pressure cookers with gasket and vent aren't really
designed to prevent long-term slow leakage.  Indeed, the vent as I recall
it wasn't really totally air/steam-proof; just slowed down losses enough
to raise the pressure.


Wayne Throop   throopw@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
   http://sheol.org/throopw