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.
Privatgymnasium Schwetzingen Schwetzingen-Baden Württemberg Germany 13, 14 0 / 2 English
The Galileo Galilei Moon Camp
The Galileo Galilei Moon Camp is named after the world-famous physicist, astronomer, and engineer. His diverse skills and knowledge serve as an example to all that is required to establish a moon base. As the “father” of observational astronomy, he will be the role model for all engineers serving on the base. His determination to prove the Earth moves around the Sun will fuel the passion of all scientists exploring and pushing the boundaries of the known.
The Moon camp is split into two parts. One that is underground, that’s where the astronauts live. Building the living base for the astronauts underground provides them with protection from cosmic rays. For exploration and science we build a science lab, which is located on the moon’s surface. In any case of explosions the living base isn’t in danger because of the distance between the science lab and living base.
The living base has a bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, gym, entertainment room, and medical room.
The entertainment room helps the astronauts to relax and has a hamster for fun and experimental purposes. The base is built in a way ensuring easy future extensions.
A self-sustaining base enabling long-term stay, will provide shelter and accommodation for thorough exploration of the Moon. Large-scale 3-D printing of bricks and other shapes using moon dust and rock as raw material will help lower costs of Space exploration.
The Moon Camp can hence serve as a jumping off point for new Space voyages. Adventures into Deep-Space will require many resources that can be produced at the Galileo Moon Camp. Human exploration of Mars and other planets needs huge quantities of oxygen, water, and rocket fuel – to just name a few. Extracting oxygen, which is surprisingly plentiful in moon rocks, and metals like aluminum are both enabling “living off the Moon” and serve as a replenishment base for Mars Missions.
Taking that load from Earth is way more expensive than production on the Moon. Rockets departing from Earth can be lighter, when resources can be produced and be “picked up” from the Moon base.
Lunar lava tubes
We chose Lunar lava tubes as those are typically found along the boundaries between lunar mares and highland regions. This would give ready access to: elevated regions, for communications; basaltic plains, for landing sites and regolith harvesting; and underground mineral resources.The lunar lava tubes also provide an easy underground access, which is important for protecting the astronauts from cosmic rays.
The main materials that we want to use for building our moon base are graphene and regolith.
Graphene is the thinnest material known and is incredibly strong. Graphene also has a strong interaction with light. Graphene would be brought from the earth to the moon.
Regolith is a natural resource of the moon. A 3-D printer can print lunar regolith prints out of the regolith. The bricks can withstand the extreme environments of the moon and are good for further cosmic construction projects
The Moon’s environment is very harsh and dangerous to astronauts. A Moon base needs to provide protection against radiation, meteorites, extreme temperatures, and the vacuum of space.
How does your Moon Camp protect and provide shelter to your astronauts against the Moon’s harsh environment?
We also chose Lunar lava tubes as those are providing protection.
Lying under 40 meters or more of basalt, with a stable temperature of −20 °C (−4 °F). These natural tunnels provide protection from cosmic radiation, solar radiation, meteorites, and micrometeorites. They are insulated from the extreme temperature variations on the lunar surface and could provide a stable environment for inhabitants.
There has been proof of ice on the moon. We want to use that ice and turn it into water. The water will be split into oxygen and hydrogen, using the Electrolysis process.
The other part of the water will be used by the astronauts.
Electrolysis provides the astronauts with oxygen. The gas nitrogen will be first brought to the moon from earth. The final goal is to get the nitrogen out of the regolith on the moon.
The Moon Camp has solar panels which provide it with power. 327.5 hours per completed Earth orbit are filled with sunlight on the moon. In those hours the solar panels will work and the energy will be collected in a box next to the panels. That power can and will be turned into thermal energy for the astronauts living base. During the new moon phase nuclear reactors will supply the needed energy.
The packaged food for the astronauts will be brought from earth. To eat, the food is put into the microwave in the kitchen. A small greenhouse is located on the lunar surface for planting vegetables like carrots, which contain a lot of vitamins and are easy to plant, similar to potatoes, which contain a lot of calories.
Astronauts will need geology training as a preparation for going back to the Moon. From choosing landing sites, to designing science operations for the lunar surface.
The training will help them in reading the lunar surface, collect scientifically relevant rocks, and effectively communicate their geological observations with others.
As astronauts will be far from home (their family), isolated with their teammates, it is paramount to master interpersonal skills. Communication, teamwork, and empathy are some of the key elements they will need to master. Astronauts will have to be trained to have excellent observation skills and the ability to record observations in all the latest details. They need to be prepared to deal with and manage conflicts, de-escalate tense situations, and to work under intense pressure.
Respecting different viewpoints and seeking and providing support are additional skills they will have to be trained on. Finally, astronauts will have to have perfect physical skills, agility, and coordination.
