2.1.a. You are about to land on the Moon. You have to make some decisions about the location of your settlement. Where would you locate your shelter on the Moon’s surface?
Close to the Lunar Poles
2.1.b. Explain your choice from question 2.1.
Because humans can’t withstand low temperatures of – 233 or 123 degrees Celsius, harmful radiation from the sun, and the risk of being hit by falling meteorites at any time. The temperature of the moon’s poles ranges from – 50 to 0 degrees Celsius, which is suitable for human survival. The existence of lava pipelines near the moon poles formed by lava eruptions billions of years ago is conducive to building camps underground to avoid the damage caused by meteorites and radiation. Continuous sunshine over the two poles of the moon can provide us with sufficient energy. Water ice still exists underground at the two poles of the moon, which provides us with sufficient water resources. These favorable factors make us choose to set up moon camps at the two poles of the moon.
2.2.a. Where would you build the shelter: on the surface or underground?
Underground
2.2.b. Explain your choice to question 2.2.
When you walk on the moon, you always worry about being hit by meteorites falling from the sky. Tens of thousands of meteorites fall on the surface of the moon every year. Once the moon camp is hit by huge meteorites, the result will be a devastating blow. On the moon surface, because of the lack of atmospheric shelter, radiation from the sun and the universe directly endangers human health, especially when solar flares emit super doses of radiation, making people in fear.There are lava passages formed by volcanic eruptions billions of years ago on the moon. Some are about 300 meters wide and 40 meters deep. We built the moon camp in underground caves, and the temperature in the caves is suitable, about – 20 degrees Celsius.We built the moon camp in these underground caves, not only to avoid meteorites, shield harmful radiation, but also to facilitate the mining of water ice buried underground.
3.1. What will be the size of your Moon Camp?
Our Moon camp is about 250 square meters, 900 cubic meters. There are three layers. The upper layer is the working area. It keeps communication with the earth, does various experiments, stores and processes all kinds of collected meteorites and mineral deposits from the moon. In the middle is the living area, where astronauts eat, sleep, entertain and exercise. The lower layer is planting area and garbage disposal, planting plants, obtaining oxygen and food, and making organic garbage into fertilizer. After sorting the inorganic garbage, we use a 3D printer to make the required items.Each floor is up and down by the central elevator.
3.2.a. How many people will your Moon Camp accommodate?
2 astronauts
3.2.b. Explain your choice to question 3.2.
Our camp can accommodate two astronauts. Because a lot of work can send out instructions, rely on computers or robots to work, and can also assign some work to people living on Earth, so there is no need for too many astronauts.If an additional astronaut is placed in the lunar camp, more oxygen, water and food will be needed. We can use the surplus oxygen, water and food to feed animals and obtain the animal protein and other nutrients needed by the human body.
3.3.a. Which local Moon resources would you use?
•Water ice
•Regolith (Lunar soil)
•Sunlight
3.3.b. Explain your choice to question 3.3.
We will use water ice, Moon soil, sunlight and other local resources. Sunshine, water and oxygen are indispensable to human survival. Water can be continuously obtained by mining water ice beneath the lunar poles. Oxygen can be obtained by electrolyzing water. Lunar soil processing can be used as a material for building camps. Lunar soil can be planted with fertilizer. Sunlight is the source of all the energy in the camp. Using photovoltaic modules, light energy can be converted into electricity, which can be illuminated, heated and stored in fuel cells. Yellow pipes represent energy, blue pipes represent water, and green pipes represent oxygen in Moon camps.
3.4. Explain how you plan to build your project on the Moon. You should include information about the materials and building techniques you are planning to use. Highlight the unique features of your design.
Our Moon Camp is located in a huge lava tube at the moon’s poles, which can avoid meteorite impact and harmful radiation. Its main shape is a cylinder plus hemisphere. The vaulted top can withstand the impact of huge meteorites that may be encountered. Because there is no air on the moon, the wall of the camp must be thick enough to withstand the atmospheric pressure in the camp. For security reasons, the camp has two entrances.We plan to use lunar soil and some additives, use special 3D printers to print out a wall, assemble, and coat the interior and exterior with airtight paint to prevent gas spillover.The top dome of the camp is a huge spherical screen, which monitors different places on the ground and sends back all kinds of information in real time.Robots shuttle between underground camps and the ground, bringing back meteorites, minerals, frosts, etc. for research. People can get all kinds of information from outside without going out of the camp. Each region is relatively independent, encountering unexpected events, can be partitioned to prevent the spread of accidents.There are many photovoltaic modules collecting solar energy on the ground above the camp, which convert the light energy into artificial sunlight close to the earth’s sunlight. This sunlight can control the intensity and time, and adjust according to the different needs of people and plants. If plants grow well, they can get more oxygen.
3.5. Describe and explain the design of the entrance to your Moon Camp.
The Moon Camp has two entrances, which are for security reasons. Once the entrance has problems, it can be closed in time, waiting for maintenance, and enter and exit from another entrance. Each entrance needs a special air lock as an entry and exit door. This special air valve consists of two closed doors. Two doors can not be opened at the same time. When astronauts leave the camp, they open the first door.Astronauts enter the air lock and close the first door. Astronauts wear spacesuits in the air lock, open the second door, and close the second door after astronauts leave the camp. Astronauts enter the camp in the opposite order. Every time the air lock is used, the air in the lunar camp will be lost, so the smaller the space of the special air lock, the better, and try to reduce the number of entries and exits, let robots work outside the camp instead of us.
3.6. Explain how the Moon Camp provides protection for the astronauts.
Moon Camp is the only home for astronauts. Astronauts can’t live without oxygen, water and food. We can protect them by planting plants and mining water ice. The camps were built underground at the poles to protect astronauts from meteorites and harmful solar radiation. There is a gym in the living area to allow astronauts to exercise every day to avoid muscle atrophy in low gravity environment. The dome screen above the workspace makes the astronauts feel as if they are in the wilderness, not depressed by the narrowness of the space. Through the living area screen, astronauts can chat with their families and partners at any time, share ball games and news from the earth, or participate in some activities directly, without feeling lonely and lonely. There are two channels from the Moon camp to the ground, one is vertical to the ground, and the other is the original lava pipeline. The middle and lower levels of the camp are safety zones. Once danger comes, people can take refuge at any time.
3.7. Describe the location and arrangements of the sleeping and working areas.
The workspace is on the upper and lower levels of the Moon camp. The roof is a hemispherical screen, which can see the monitoring from different locations on the moon or switch to the natural scenery from the earth. The workspace mainly includes the communication room: mainly responsible for the connection with the earth. Specimen Room: Store all kinds of Moon specimens, such as meteorites, minerals, frosts stored in black boxes. Laboratory: Experiments on the Moon.Substratum: Planting area and garbage disposal area. Planting area relies on Internet of Things technology, automatic irrigation and fertilization, using microorganisms to treat organic garbage, and then adding Moon soil for planting. Other garbage is sorted and printed with a 3-D printer for daily necessities or various parts that need to be replaced in the camp.Middle: The living area is on the middle floor of the Moon Camp. The bedroom, dining room, kitchen and gym are all on this floor. There is only one bedroom. Two astronauts can stagger their sleep time and take turns on duty.
4.1. Describe what will be the power source for the shelter.
At the poles of the moon, there is no wind or rain. Every day is sunny. There is sunshine 24 hours a day, except for an occasional eclipse of several hours. We can use solar energy to generate electricity by placing solar cell components on a rotating bracket equipped with ray tracing sensors so that the solar cell components are always facing the sun. We use solar energy to illuminate, heat and generate electricity. Solar energy is stored in fuel cells for occasional needs, such as an eclipse.
4.2. Describe where the water will come from.
Our bodies need about two liters of water a day, as well as water for daily use and planting. Recycling all used water by water circulation system and getting clean water after filtration will help to maintain the water resources in the camp, but 100% recycling is impossible. The supplementary water is water ice buried underground at the Moon poles. We use a heating drill to extract water near the Moon camp in an underground lava tube.
4.3. Describe what will be the food source.
When the food brought from the earth is finished, we have to rely on the food we grow. There is plenty of sunshine at the two poles of the moon. We convert it into artificial sunshine and use it in sealed greenhouses to ensure 8 hours of sunshine per day. Planted soils come from a mixture of Moon soils and organic waste after anaerobic composting. Wastewater or urine is filtered and used for irrigation. We can also grow fruits, feed high-protein insects and enrich our food structure. The oxygen produced by planting can be breathed by astronauts. Let robots do all this.
5.1. What would you like to study on the Moon?
First of all, we need to study how human beings can survive on planets other than Earth. Do various physical examinations to test how our bodies will change in a strange environment for a long time. How to get the water, oxygen and food we need better, and study the life support system and artificial biosphere in closed environment.Secondly, space environment should be used to study the origin and evolution of the moon and the earth. On the moon, we can make better astronomical observations and find planets similar to the Earth. Because there is no atmosphere on the moon, a large number of meteorites from space are well preserved. These meteorites contain all kinds of information in the universe. By studying these meteorites, we can explore the origin of the universe and find out whether there are signs of life in the vast universe.Finally, we need to study what human resources can be used on the moon to prepare for further exploration of the mystery of the universe. Test whether the new equipment and technology we use can work properly on the moon. Developing water and mineral resources on the moon will provide a foothold for human to explore farther goals and a front stop for human to migrate to the moon in the future.
Projects are created by the teams and they take the full responsibility of the shared content.
