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Riff 022316

image: Bubbles © Kaj Gardemeister | Dreamstime Stock Photos
image: Bubbles © Kaj Gardemeister | Dreamstime Stock Photos

“You want to use what?”

“Bubbles.”

“Like soap bubbles?”

“Yes, exactly! Well, mostly, it’s not exactly soap, but it would be cost efficient and easily put into place. Why the savings alone …”

“Are you completely insane?!”

“What? No. No, of course I’m not insane. Why would you say such a thing?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you are wanting to use SOAP BUBBLES to construct environmental domes on the moon!!”

“I can see you’re hesitant about this plan, but I …”

“Hesitation has nothing to do with it! The entire idea is completely nuts!”

“Oh no, it is quite sane, I can assure you. The air used to create the bubbles would act as structural support until the bubbles set and …”

“Air as structural support? And what do you mean by set exactly?”

“Ah, well, you see, the air pressure forces the bubble surface out uniformly, giving an even support matrix for the bubbles while they set. After the bubble has been exposed to the vacuum of space for a few minutes, it will become more rigid, making for a more permanent structure than you would find from soap bubbles on the Earth.”

“Seriously?”

“Oh, yes, quite serious. The compound will become semi-solid, almost gelatinous in nature on the interior while the exterior will be quite rigid.”

“You mean these bubbles will be like jello on the inside?”

“Similar, yes. Though without the variety of flavor that one would expect from jello …”

“Wait … these would be flavored bubbles?”

“Well, I suppose they could be, though that would take additional research to perfect. If that is what was wanted.”

“No, that is not what is wanted. What is wanted is an effective means to create habitable areas upon the moon’s surface.”

“Yes, yes, and this will achieve that goal.”

“And how, exactly, would one enter these bubbles? An environmental dome without any means of entry is not exactly a useful thing.”

“We would need to cut the needed openings.”

“Wouldn’t that let out the air used to create the bubble leaving the interior of the dome a vacuum?”

“Well, yes, but we would have a means of entry. And the interior walls would then also become rigid, removing the possibility of anyone trying to taste the gelatinous state of the compound and eliminate the need to research flavorings. All in all I think …”

“But the habitation would be a vacuum! What good would that do us?”

“We would, of course, refill the domes with the needed atmosphere once we put the needed air locks in place.”

The Secretary General of Space Colonization paused, and look of contemplation on his face.

“Very well, let’s give the jello-soap dome solution a try. You said this would be inexpensive, so I suppose a test dome would be a viable option.”

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