moon_camp

Moon Camp Explorers Gallery 2020-2021

In Moon Camp Explorers each team’s mission is to 3D design a complete Moon Camp using Tinkercad. They also have to explain how they will use local resources, protect astronauts from the dangerous of space and describe the living and working facilities.

Team: MNDM

Ellinogermaniki Agogi  Athens    Greece 12

External link for 3d

Project description

Welcome to our moon camp! It is suitable for six astronauts: one mechanic, two biologists, one architect and two scientists. Every three months new astronauts will arrive on the base using the moon lander and the previous ones will return to Earth. It includes all necessary things for them. For instance, it offers water supply, food, electricity, a communications system and a temperature control system. In addition, all essential rooms are provided: a laboratory to make experiments, a bedroom to sleep, a kitchen to cook and eat, a lounge to relax, a communications room to communicate with the Earth, a gym to stay fit, a greenhouse to grow food and a bathroom. In order to reach the underground rooms, astronauts will use the elevator located next to the communications room. All the rooms are connected with oxygen tanks and have small tanks of water and oxygen, in case something happens.

Where do you want to build your Moon Camp?

Close to the Lunar Poles

Why did you choose this location?

We decided to build our moon camp near the lunar south pole, because it is the most investigated region on the Moon. To begin with, it gives us access to shadowed craters, filled with water, which is the main reason why we chose this specific location. Furthermore, the temperatures on the poles are not as extreme as on other regions on the moon. Last but not least, we have constant sun light supply on the south pole, which is the best source of electricity for our moon camp. 

How do you plan to build your Moon Camp? Which materials would you use?

We would use inflatable modules for the base on the surface of the moon and the aboveground base. Both of them would be covered with 3D printed walls and layers from the lunar soil. Moreover, rooms would be connected with air locks. The reason why we chose these particular materials, was to ensure the safety of the moon inhabitants, on the grounds that there are many hazards, which can cause serious damage to both the base and the astronauts.  

Explain how your Moon Camp will provide the astronauts with:
Water
Food
Electricity
Air

We could gain water from the ice deposits in the craters. We would use two mining rovers to excavate the craters, then heat the water using the mining rover’s system and two mirrors that reflect sunlight into the crater. Afterwards water will be collected with the tubing process that leads to the water purifier, in order to get rid of poisonous substances it might contain. Then astronauts will have plenty of water to drink and to use in experiments. Additionally, we would reuse the water after we filter it. Our plan B is to bring liters of water from Earth.

We plan to grow our own food in the greenhouse. For instance, we will plant spinach, lettuce, radishes, onions, potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetables that grow quickly with soil brought from Earth. At the same time we will try to grow food with the lunar soil in the second greenhouse. In order to have a variety of food, we will bring meat and other freeze-dried meals from Earth using vacuum chambers.

Since we chose to build our base on the lunar south pole, we have the luxury of the sun shining sideways on our solar panels. Therefore, we will have a huge amount of solar power, converted into electricity. The solar panels will all be connected with an energy storage, which will be supplying lamps, electrical outlets, computers or any other electrical devices needed on the moon, including a source of energy for the mining rovers and the communications system. Additionally, hydrogen will be used as a fuel for the spaceship.

Oxygen is necessary for both astronauts and plants. Our main source of oxygen is water ice from the craters. Specifically, we would separate water into oxygen and hydrogen with the electrolysis method. Our second source of oxygen is the lunar soil, which contains approximately 45% oxygen. To reduce the oxygen’s density, we will mix it with nitrogen and water steam. Then, it would be easier for astronauts and plants to breathe. Afterwards, oxygen will be stored in tanks that are connected with each room.

Describe a day on the Moon for one of your Moon Camp astronauts

The astronaut Jessica is a scientist, who lives in the moon base. Firstly, she wakes up on 7 o’clock and makes her way to the gym to exercise. Secondly, she goes to the kitchen and eats breakfast: two fried eggs with tomato juice. Then, she exits the underground part of the base using the elevator and checks if all the systems work properly. Next, she collects the crops from the greenhouse and puts them in the kitchen. Afterwards,  she explores the surface of the moon together with her colleague using the exploration vehicle. After collecting stones and other materials from the surface of the moon, they go to the laboratory and do experiments. At noon, she eats lunch: a steak with mashed potatoes. In the afternoon, she goes to the communications room  and communicates with the scientists on Earth. In the evening, all astronauts spend their free time relaxing in the lounge. Lastly, she checks the systems one more time and then goes to bed. 


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