Moon Camp Explorers 2022 – 2023 Project Gallery

Pandia Moon Camp-Pinewood School

Pinewood American International School Thessaloniki  Thessaloniki-Thessaloniki    Greece 13   0 / 4 English

1.1 – Project Description

Our moon is called Pandia, named after the daughter of the goddess of the moon in Greek mythology, Selene. Pandia is the first child of Selene and Zeus and was always loved by Selene. Our base has five different sections, including a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, lab / IT room, and gym. It has been designed to host no more than four astronauts. Our gym room is vital to help the astronauts stay in good health. Since the gravitational pull on the moon is frailer than Earth’s, the gym is supplied with special equipment and lots of weights to make up for the weaker gravity. While designing our base, protection was our main concern. To guarantee that the settlement is protected from meteors and radiation, we have added many layers with different materials and thicknesses. Most of the resources required to build these layers can be found either on the surface or inside the moon.

1.2 – Why do your astronaut want to go to the Moon and build a Moon Camp?

One of the primary goals of returning to the Moon is scientific exploration. By studying the Moon, scientists can gain a better understanding of the history of our solar system, the formation of planets, and the processes that shaped the Earth. The Moon also contains valuable resources such as water ice that could potentially be used for future space missions. Building a Moon Camp would allow for longer stays on the lunar surface, enabling more extensive scientific research and resource utilization. Additionally, a Moon Camp would serve as a testing ground for technologies and techniques needed for future space exploration missions, including those to Mars. Finally, a Moon Camp could also serve as a base for future space tourism, allowing individuals to visit and potentially even stay on the Moon. This could open up new opportunities for commercial ventures and help to inspire the next generation of space explorers.

2.1.a – Where do you want to build your Moon Camp?

Shackleton crater

2.2.b – Why did you choose this location?

Shackelton crater provides safety from meteors, radiation. The camp is inside the crater, so getting directly hit by a meteor is unlikely. The sun doesn’t hit inside the crater so the people inside will be exposed to less radiation. The crater rim is sunny all year so we have a sun to grow food and get energy which can be used to extract regolith for oxygen. It’s good for water, because the crater sits directly on the moon’s south pole with ice, meaning it can be mined to get water which can be done with the ice inside the crater.

2.2 How do you plan to build your Moon Camp? Describe how you can use the Moon’s natural resources, and which materials you would need to bring from Earth.

One of the main advantages of building on the Moon is the availability of resources such as regolith, which is a layer of loose soil and rocks on the Moon’s surface. Regolith can be used to make building materials such as bricks and concrete. Additionally, the Moon has abundant amounts of helium-3, a rare isotope that could potentially be used as fuel for nuclear fusion reactors.

To build a Moon Camp, we could use robotic systems to extract and process regolith to create building materials. These materials could be used to construct habitats and infrastructure on the Moon’s surface. It would also be necessary to bring some materials from Earth, such as specialized equipment and components, as well as food and other supplies for the initial phases of construction and settlement.

3.1 – How does your Moon Camp protect and provide shelter to your astronauts against the Moon’s harsh environment.

The main base will be underneath the ground with multiple layers of natural protection from meteors and radiation. For the facilities above the ground they will have multiple layers protecting them from harm. The first layer will be a 3D-printed mesh of regolith (rubble on the moon which is just a bunch of minerals finely crushed and contains oxygen) which helps with both radiation and meteor protection. The second layer would be a 2 cm layer of titanium for reinforcement, which we can get from extracting titanium from regolith, and cave systems on the moon. The third layer is a 2 cm layer of aluminum for anti-radiation. Finally, a layer of lunar soil is made up of sulfur and aggregate (2cm wide). Finally, we will have a layer of water at the top to lessen the radiation. It will have 3 floors of 3 meters each.

3.2 – On the Moon, resources are very scarce, but during long Moon missions, astronauts cannot rely on resupply missions from the Earth. Explain how your Moon Camp will provide astronauts with sustainable access to basic needs like water, food, air and power.

Water will be mined using a titanium drill, ice will be melted into water that will be filtered, a greenhouse will be built to grow food, a device will be built to store water on its outer wall. Solar panels will collect energy from the sun. Finally, an electric-powered machine will heat the regolith and extract the oxygen.

4.1 – What would you include in your astronaut training programme, to help prepare the astronauts for a Moon mission?

Due to weak gravity on the moon, for astronauts to maintain muscle strength in space, they are trained to practice core-building activities before and after missions hence why a gym with specific equipment and tools needs to be provided in the moon settlement. These activities can be done on earth such as swimming, running, weight training, or any floor exercises. As well as this, they must also use stimulators for their body’s to get used to having low gravitational pull. Astronauts And other crew members must exercise every day to prevent weak muscles and bone loss. This exercise should last on average 2 hours a day to maintain muscle strength. This is why we have provided in the moon settlement a spacious gym area that will provide our crew members with the necessary equipment to have abilities to pass through their missions successfully. Finally, The program should be comprehensive and prepare astronauts to handle a variety of challenges they may face while living and working on the Moon.

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