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.
Santo Domingo Savio Úbeda-Andalusia Spain 14 0 / 3 English
Our lunar camp has been designed over a term in our elective subject of Computing and Robotics. This is a subject that is in line with the compulsory Technology subject.
In our project we must solve a complex problem that we break down into several parts giving partial solutions. First, we look for simple general solutions and later we delve into more complex aspects. Thus, it is a collaborative work carried out in groups of students and each one of the teams gives shape to the solution of their partial problem.
The objective of our mission is to establish a lunar base where about a hundred people who are engaged in research in all fields can live for a long time. We need to investigate new materials, expand knowledge in medicine, astronomy, adapted crops, waste management, communications, transportation, mining, etc.
On the other hand, it must be a base that allows trips to Earth periodically and eventually, a launch pad for longer trips such as future trips to Mars.
As we have mentioned before, our international team of people from a global world need to learn how to establish sustainable colonies in other places in the solar system. We need to investigate new materials, expand knowledge in medicine, astronomy, adapted crops, waste management, communications, transportation, mining, etc.
However, before anything else, we need to do studies on the conditions we will encounter and all the possible problems that will have to be solved.
The only way you can learn how to do it is to go there and build all the necessary items for a moon base. We must learn from our successes and also from our mistakes.
Close to the lunar poles
There are places at the south pole of the moon where there is permanent light and we consider it important to be able to have photovoltaic energy for our lunar base.
There are also deep craters in permanent darkness in which there is frozen water and we also consider it extremely important to be able to have this valuable element for life.
We believe that on the moon we can find all the necessary materials for the construction of our lunar base, but it is necessary to make a strong initial investment in mining and transformation of materials. It is not an easy task because you have to think about the efficiency of the processes associated with both costly actions.
Obviously, during the initial phases of the project, we must provide all the necessary elements from Earth to carry out these initial mining and transformation tasks. We will also need organic material for our greenhouses – it goes without saying – Little by little, the base will become more and more autonomous, but it will take a long time before you can have a secure and truly self-sufficient base.
We have already mentioned that the presence of water is vital for our project and we must manage it with extreme care. We need oxygen to breathe which can be obtained from water (we would also obtain hydrogen as a propellant material for our launches).
With the lunar dust – regolith – we could manufacture some type of cement for our constructions and from the lunar rocks and minerals obtain essential metals such as iron, copper, aluminum, etc.
Although we have designed a lunar base on the surface to make it more visible, we really have to think that most of it should be protected underground, or at least covered with a thick layer of protective material.
High doses of radiation from all parts of the universe reach the moon and are a lethal danger in prolonged exposures. The thick layer of atmosphere that protects us on Earth does not exist on the moon and that is the reason why we need to isolate ourselves from it. On the other hand, the fall of small meteorites could cause serious problems for infrastructures if they are not well protected.
The only parts located on the surface should be the photovoltaic panels and the communication antennas, everything else (including greenhouses powered by artificial light) should be protected.
We must observe another important problem, the lunar dust in suspension. It is proven that lunar dust is very harmful, so we must build very effective filtering systems and keep the base very clean.
I think that we have explained these issues very briefly before.
The water can be obtained from lunar ice found at the bottom of lunar craters at the south pole. Perhaps it can be obtained later also from hydrated minerals that can be found on the moon, but for now, ice is our first choice.
Oxygen can also be obtained from lunar ice by breaking the H20 molecule into hydrogen and oxygen. Perhaps oxygen can be obtained later also from minerals (oxides) that can be found on the moon, and also nitrogen (ammonia salts or nitrates) and even CO2. It is a very difficult challenge but it is worth facing it.
Food is also another of the great challenges. We must find a way to grow healthy, long-lasting crops in a delicately controlled environment. Obviously, the plants are imported from Earth but they must be able to perpetuate themselves on the moon without deteriorating. This is another very important field of research.
Choosing the lunar south pole for our base can ensure permanent solar energy that we could convert into electrical energy through photovoltaic panels.
It is evident that such a mission requires people to be highly capable in many ways. Lunar settlers must have deep knowledge of STEM and know how to relate many aspects of each of the subjects (demonstrated interdisciplinarity).
On the other hand, the working conditions (high risk) and the possibility of serious problems appearing require astronauts to have an excellent capacity for collaboration and great delicacy in dealing with people.
Problems on Earth can be solved almost immediately due to the high availability of material means, but far from Earth problems must be solved without the immediate help of the whole society.
