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: 2theMOONandBACK

EBS da Bemposta  Portimão    Portugal 14

External link for 3d

Project description

We decided to call our lunar base “Lusitanus” to honor the achievements of the Portuguese people and the traditions of our country. One of the most important things In Portugal Culture is Fado, a style of music known internationally, characterized by “Saudade,” in Portuguese, the feeling of missing someone or something, that’s why we have called our greenhouse “Fado” so that the astronauts can look at stars and remember the things they miss the most.
Our lunar base is primarily underground and covered with regolith to be inserted into the lunar environment and protect astronauts from all dangers. “Lusitanus” is a lunar base that was designed for four astronauts, in turns of 5-6 months, to live on the Moon with all their needs and with all the resources they need to carry out research that can change the world of science.

Where do you want to build your Moon Camp?

Close to the Lunar Poles

Why did you choose this location?

We have concluded that the South Pole is the best location because of the constant presence of the Sun that enables favorable temperature (-50º to 0º degrees celsius). Also, because the Sun hits the surface laterally, the craters remain dark, making it impossible for the water to evaporate.
It is estimated that there are about 10.000 to 100.00 tons of water in ice in the south pole.

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

To build the above-ground part of our camp, we would use 3D printing rovers to cover a previously assembled inflatable dome with regolith. The Greenhouse will be made with Perplex. The underground part will be built in the subsoil of the Moon by excavator rovers.
Our base will be covered with regolith to protect astronauts, which will make the base protected from solar radiation and meteorites. Also, most of the base will be underground, meaning it will be protected from all dangers.

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

To keep astronauts healthy and safe, we would bring some water from Earth, but our primary source is from the ice of the moon craters, which would be potable after being melted and filtered. There is no waste. Our base will filter and reuse water; inclusively, the base has a recycling system to transform human physiological waste (urine and feces) into usable water and fertilizer.

To keep the astronauts well-fed, we will bring some food from the Earth. Deliveries will be made at intervals of 5 to 6 months. However, we also want to have our production and use the greenhouse “Fado” to plant food such as corn, potatoes, carrots, and algae to study the growth of plants on the Moon and have a self-sufficient production.

Our base would be powered by sunlight energy, utilizing rotating solar panels to collect as much energy as possible.
Although some of our rovers have Solar Panels, these are only for emergency purposes. Their fuel would be the oxygen and hydrogen collected from the electrolysis of the moon water.

For the astronauts to breathe, we will obtain oxygen through electrolysis; afterward, we will add nitrogen (obtained by putrescent plants) and water vapor to make the astronauts living easier. Our base will also be made of materials that will not let air through and vacuum chambers so that astronauts can leave and enter the base without letting air out. As moon dust is dangerous for astronauts, there will be several vacuum cleaners to ensure air quality.

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

To start the day, at 6:30 a.m., astronauts would have 1 hour to eat and take care of their hygiene. At 7:30 a.m., astronauts should check the base and plan the day. At 9:00, the astronauts start to prepare their experiments and begin to work in research. Our astronauts will research and study the behavior of the human body on the moon. The growth of plants on the moon. The various uses of regolith and other lunar materials. They will carry out astronomical observations, and once a month, they will make short trips in rovers powered by solar panels to explore other locations on the moon.
At 13:00, they should stop working and have lunch. They will eat food from the greenhouse when the vegetables have grown and intercalate with the earth`s food. They should decide who cooks, and that person has to start cooking at 12:00.
Then, at 14:30, they should continue their research and experiments and, at 17:00, they should exercise in the gym.
At 18:00, they have free time to do whatever they want and enter into contact with the Earth and their families. At 20:00, it is dinner time.
At 21:00, they should check the base and go to sleep.
Every Saturday, they will have to clean the base at 9:00 and make the rover’s maintenance.
Every weekend, they would make a Webinar with young kids and make videos for their youtube channel.


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