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.
African Section Ninety Nines International Organisation of Women Pilots – Jacaranda School of Orphans Blantyre-Blantyre Africa Malawi 14 0 / 2 English
THE SNIKERS
Project Description
The main goal of the Snikers is to take some important measure, according to the scientists and researchers of the world findings are to keep our astronauts safe all time. Our base will be composed of 5 spaces including greenhouse placed to the north of the moon to recover amount of light and it will of course meet the needs of the of the astronauts. We plan this mission over for period of 6 years with some specialist changing for 120 earthly days. Moreover, our mission’s ambition is based of in-situ resources use. Indeed spending all the resources from earth will be really expensive and too much flights without counting the take-off failure percentage.
The Moon will provide scientists with new views of early Earth, how the Earth-Moon system and the solar system formed and evolved, and the role of asteroid impacts in influencing Earth’s history — and possibly future!
The discovery that there is water there, especially ice deep within polar craters where the sun never shines. That is a potentially invaluable source of drinking water for future astronauts visiting the moon, but also for water that can be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen.
The oxygen could provide breathable air; oxygen and hydrogen could also be used as rocket propellant. Thus, the moon, or a refuelling station in orbit around the moon, could serve as a stop for spacecraft to refill their tanks before heading out into the solar system.
Close to the lunar poles
We will build our moon to the South Pole to take an advantage of sunlight present about 90% pre lunation. Indeed, we will be able to convert solar energy to electricity to supply our base and the rovers. By placing our greenhouse direct to the solar for long surviving.
Temperature fluctuation is correct and the surface allows us to find Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs).
In 2005 an earthquake happened so luckily, our location base was safe. The lunar regolith also contains high amount of oxygen. So the South Pole is for us the best location to exploit resources on the surface.
Our first rover will be sent to small mountain to dig for vital resources to set the installation of the vital space in its inside. Moreover the dug regolith will be execrated, recover and used to cover the rest of the base.
At this point, 4fold-out air supported structure modules will be delivered. Astronauts abroad the NASA will reach the base location during a series of mission to connect the structures together with the tunnel connector and install important systems (previously transferred from the Gateways as mission progress by using Chinese Large Logistic Landers (CL3)). These same astronauts will also be undeniably really important from the station by following and controlling a big part of rover installation.
A 3-D printing rover will also be sent abroad the future Heracle lander. This rover will convert the mountain exracted regolith combined with urine into a 3-D printable solid material in order to print a protective layer on the base structure.
We assume for now, no insufficient powerful robotic arm rover has been designed to install in our green house, but its feasibility is totally assured in coming years.
Our ice extractor rover SALLY will land and start ibis extraction process to prepare the arrival of astronauts.
Once the camp is fully operational after taking off with the crew abroad, the astronauts will land at the base and start the mission.
To achieve better protection from radiation, asteroids and other harm on surface, base will be covered with layer of lunar soil for protection, most of structure under lunar soil will be base of operation for astronauts, each module can be locked from rest of camp when necessary in case of problems/troubles. Each control module has a top escape hatch if needed. Therefore, in case of emergency inhabitants can lock themselves in to stay alive. Minimal base has two production stations and two entrance stations with EVA
The following are some of the materials to be used
1. WATER
The rover team will dig for surface ice and bring it to the production station for recycling and extraction and produce water. Control module one of the function is to store water and waste products through connections between modules water can be passed to other modules when necessary and with pump system pressure can be achieved for circulating it around moon camp.
2. FOOD
For first period food will be bought from earth together with the equipment, but after first month garden module will start producing crops, vegetables and fruits. But still rely on food bought from earth . On later stages Moon camp will be able to process its harvested crops to produce more complex food and when number of settlers will grow it will be able to sustain itself with plant-based protein foods.
3. ELECTRICITY
Power will be produced using solar panels and stored in control modules , there is wiring and communication cables around Moon Camp that ensure constant flow of electricity. In production stations raw focused solar light is used for melting and 3D printing lunar soil.
4. AIR
Air is produced in production station where oxygen is extracted from lunar soil and mixed with necessary compounds to create breathable air and feed it through control module into Moon Camp. Control module is hub that follows and houses life support systems and controls air quality, temperature and different gas levels inside it – when necessary extra oxygen is produced and mixed into system.
At early stage of Moon Camp days will mostly consist of working and improving base, establishing daily protocols. There are 6 inflatable multipurpose modules that needs to be prepared – two for living (each will host two beds, private lockers, hygiene equipment), one science module for conducting experiments and repairs, etc., one as command centre/main hall (for team meetings, eating, communication with earth), one as garden with necessary hydroponic equipment and one module as storage area/multipurpose space. Astronauts will mainly go to lunar surface using EVA suits attached to entrance stations through climb in hatch. On lunar surface they will do exploring around riding rover with attached astronauts chair, improve outside of camp, search for interesting places. Inside base astronauts will be able to conduct scientific experiments and monitor Moon Camp – pass commands for rovers, create and test designs for production station 3D printers. First astronauts will have to work for future expansion and colonization of moon. Our modular design proposal allows rapid expansion of Moon Camp – with extra flight more rovers and production stations, multipurpose modules and control modules can be delivered, and base can be expanded as needed. For first astronauts main task is to settle and besides scientific research, explore possibilities for rapid production industry expansion on the Moon.
