From what we can remember, we were always fascinated by space. All the unknown planets excite the curiosity, making us constantly look for information about them. When we saw the competition, it immediately made us think about how an astronaut could live on the moon. Even the words are magical: astronaut, stars, moon, space. We are trying to think as astronauts; thus, we are trying to see what the needs are to survive on the moon. Where should we stay, what would we eat and generally how would we live there, since a big problem is the lack of important materials such is the oxygen and the water.  The problem of the oxygen is very crucial because astronauts need to breathe. Additionally, astronauts must find ice on the moon to have water for their use but also for the growth of their plants. For this reason, we design a greenhouse in moon camp. We design also in our base many solar panels because energy is mandatory for the astronauts. We design our camp having in mind that must be a self-sufficient base as well as to constitute a good initial point base for the future missions.

Shackleton crater

We decide to build our moon camp close to Skakleton crater because the peaks along the crater’s rim are exposed to almost continual sunlight.  Therefore, the base will operate with electricity using the solar panels without the need of batteries. Scientists also found that in Shakleton crater exist higher amounts of hydrogen which indicate the presence of water ice. Astronauts will melt the water ice because plants needed it and of course, for their personal use and hygiene.

Shakleton crater is very crucial for our base. This place is bathed in sunlight for approximately 200 earth days with constant illumination. Therefore, the solar panels offer electricity in the base almost constantly. Printers of 3D technology will print the buildings using soil from the ground of the moon. The buildings are the dormitory, the greenhouse, the ice laboratory, the main laboratory, the warehouse for the robotic equipment and the machines and the recycle point for the garbages.

Shakleton crater is close to south pole where big amounts of ice water are contained. Astronauts using robotic machines (provided by earth) will mine the water ice. Then the water ice will be transferred to the base and astronauts will break the ice into smaller pieces in the ice laboratory. The ice will be melted using solar energy and though pipes water will be conducted in the greenhouse.

Greenhouse is an essential part of our moon camp. In the greenhouse seeds will be grown and then astronauts will have food to eat.

The power in our moon camp will be provided using the energy of the sun through the solar panels.

Astronauts need oxygen on the moon; therefore, they will use the technology that already exists in the Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory of the European Space Research and Technology Centre, ESTEC. This technology is based on the regolith of the moon. In the surface of the moon astronauts can find regolith. Regolith contains approximately 40 percent oxygen by weight. The method molten salt electrolysis will be held in our laboratory.

The day on the moon would be very tiring. It would take a lot more time to cope with the simple daily needs. Astronauts must constantly try, from the moment that are awake until the moment where they go for sleep. Astronauts woke up and eat breakfast. Then they are working in the laboratory of the ice as well as in the laboratory to produce the oxygen for some hours and afterwards they go to the greenhouse to collect fruits and vegetables.  Astronauts also are working on the analysis of moon ice and rocks. Finally, astronauts will try to create other extension bases at different points on the moon.