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 dangers of space and describe the living and working facilities in their Moon Camp.
CNER and Școala Gimnazială Internațională Spectrum Cluj Cluj-Napoca-Cluj Romania 14, 13 0 / 2 English
The name of our Moon Camp is Autonomous Moon Settlement (A.M.S.).
The acronym and the name are related to our names. In addition, the name reflects the purpose of our project, creating the Moon Camp, an autonomous moon settlement.
A.M.S. will sustain 10 astronauts. Each astronaut has specific tasks based upon their specialties.
A.M.S. offers the possibility of studying the environment of the Moon, in search of new solutions for finding supplies since the Earth’s resources are consumed at a fast pace due to pollution.
A.M.S. will be divided into 4 sections:
Each section will be interconnected with the other.
The Camp is embedded with Lunar Rovers used to transport the astronauts within the domes and outside A.M.S. The Autonomous Moon Settlement also has solar panels for electricity, Lunar Robots for transporting the samples to the laboratory which will be used in difficult conditions, and asteroid-capturing ships will be used to protect the camp against asteroids.
The astronauts will conduct research and develop conditions for a permanent settlement as a backup in case problems on Earth arise. By establishing a Moon Camp, they will also support the advancement of space travel.
Lebedinskiy crater
Lebedinskiy crater is an ideal location for our Moon Camp. The crater’s interior is flat, so there aren’t any slopes. Additionally, the ambient temperature on the crater is warmer than in other parts of the Moon. This is due to the fact that the sunlight reaches the ground much more intensely here than it does on the lunar surface. Another reason why the Lebedinskiy crater has a hotter temperature than other parts of the Moon is that this area is the most equable on the Moon. Therefore the temperature is the most consistent. The rim of the crater is about 25 kilometers wide, and the floor of the crater is about 330 kilometers below the surrounding plains, which is the perfect size for the location of A.M.S.
Our Moon Camp is built in the form of 4 domes interconnected with each other. The material used in the construction of the domes is an alloy of lead and glass. The domes have different dimensions depending on their use of it. The living area is circa 500 square meters while the laboratories and the leisure area will be 66 square meters. The domes will be incorporated with a temperature control panel in order to have control over the temperature all the time. The rooms inside the camp will be equipped with reflective windows for the privacy of the inhabitants. The astronauts will use the Moon’s resources to study the environment offering the chance for new discoveries The design of the A.M.S. is modern offering a great place to live.
Protection from radiation
Radiation is the harmful matter given off by the sun. On Earth, the magnetic field protects us by acting like a shield. Solar radiation is the sun’s radiant (electromagnetic) energy. The three relevant bands are visible light (PAR), which we can see, infrared radiation, which we perceive as heat, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which we cannot see or feel.
In order to protect the Autonomous Moon Settlement from radiation, we will use the shielding method. Radiation shielding involves the use of lead (Pb) as a high-density material to shield against neutrons and ionizing radiation within target areas. Shielding material is used to absorb or stop high-energy radiation. This method will be applied to the camp by making an alloy of AM-III glass and lead. AM-III glass was developed by Chinese scientists and it is claimed to be the strongest glass that will be ideal for the Autonomous Moon Settlement. The glass will contain particles of lead incorporated in.
Protection from meteorites
From a Space camp designer’s point of view, asteroids are the same as lightning. You don’t want an asteroid to hit the A.M.S. Same as an architect doesn’t want lightning to hit the house and both asteroids and lightning give you different loot. An asteroid gives us metals while lightning gives us energy. That’s why we need to somehow capture the asteroids. To capture asteroids we will use a special asteroid-capturing ship.
Obtaining of energy
The moon has similar conditions to Earth in terms of exposure to the Sun, subsequently, the best way to obtain energy would be to use solar panels. Solar panels don’t require air to work, which will lower the cost of the moon camp. Additionally, solar panels have some materials which can be obtained from the moon. In case something transpires, and we can’t utilize solar panels, we can get some gas or coal from Earth and turn their chemical energy into electricity.
Oxygen
Oxygen is mandatory for life; all plants and animals need oxygen to grow and transform food into energy. Humans get oxygen by breathing through their nose and mouth into the lungs. Respiration requires glucose and oxygen to produce energy, carbon dioxide, and water. We will use the energy and eliminate the water and the carbon dioxide. As long as we have enough plants for food and we will be careful enough to not waste anything we will have the required oxygen and food to survive. The oxygen will be pushed into the domes using air pumps. The air pump will press the air at a high pressure forcing it to go into the camp.
Water and Water Management
Water is essential for life. In order not to lose any water we should extract everything from any residuals so that we can recycle it and not waste anything so that we can keep the system closed. The water purification will be done through reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis is a water purification method that uses separating membranes to filter out large particles for instance contaminants and also sediments like dirt and salt. It can also remove microorganisms from the water turning it into usable water. Reverse osmosis can eliminate 99.9% of the unwanted molecules. The water will be distributed using a system of pumps and pipes.
Food
On the Autonomous Moon Settlement, the food that will be provided is the same as on Earth. To obtain the food we will have some greenhouses with plants. We want to make sure that we can get all the vitamins needed to survive. The inhabitants will have a balanced diet that contains water, carbohydrates, fat, proteins, minerals, and vitamins which are highly recommended in order to sustain the body’s well-being and to retain energy. Condiments, such as salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise, will be available in order to enhance the flavor of the meals.
Knowing that a lunar day lasts 29.5 Earth days, in order to not modify the circadian cycle in which humans leave by we will imitate a day to be 24 Earth hours for the comfort of the astronauts.
7:30 – waking up
7:30-7:45 – morning routine
7:45-8:30 – breakfast
8:30-12:30 – scientific experiments
12:30-12:50 – break
12:50-14:30 – lunch
14:30-14:50 – physical exercise
14:50-16:30 – scientific experiments
16:30-17:15 – dinner
17:15-17:30 – break
17:30-19:15 – scientific experiments
19:15-20:30 – rest
20:30-20:45 – maintenance of the equipment
20:45-21:45 – physical exercise
21:45-22:00 – leisure
22:00-22:30 – physical exercise
22:30-23:00 – free time
23:00-7:30 – sleep
