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.
Osnovna šola valentina Vodnika Ljubljana-Ljubljana Slovenia 14 0 / 0 English
Our Moon camp consists of a sleeping area, an infirmary, a room for physical exercise, a laboratory, a dining room, and a greenhouse. All places are all connected via hallways into a collective main entertainment room. Nearby the main base is a machine designated for mining the ice on the moon, which will be turned into drinkable water. On one side of the Moon camp are solar panels thet will be used for producing electricity. On another side, there is an anti-meteor gun. On another is a machine used for researching the stone on the moon. On the fourth side is a radar dish that will be used for communications. Our camp is near physical coverage that will shield it from external climatic factors.
Our astronaut wants to travel to the Moon and build a camp on the Moon because he is a dedicated scientist. He wishes to research the Moon for resources, for possible signs of life, to challenge his physiology, and use Moon’s harsh conditions as an inspiration for technological advances. Also, he thinks that the Moon is a perfect base for further research and colonization of space. Once humans have successfully colonized the Moon, it would be easier to proceed further.
Close to the lunar poles
We want to build our Moon camp near the lunar south pole near Malapert. There we would have open communication with the earth, and we could also harvest ice for potable water and watering plants. There we could also use solar energy to convert it to electricity. On the poles, temperature differences are lesser, so it would be easier to shield from harsh weather conditions. The surface is more diverse, and because of that, we could use craters and lava tunnels as natural physical shielding structures.
For the beginning we would have to bring structural modules for building from the Earth (like steel, carbon fibres, machines, batteries, fuel, food, mostly all the technology. Moon’s regolith could be used to make bricks, slates and even some kind of cement and concrete. Regolith is like our basalt. For long-term sustainability is going to be important to develop processes for recycling all used materials. Also, regolith dust could be used for 3-D printing of building modules.
Astronauts living quarters are partially located underground and/or under the ledges of bigger craters. Big slates of regolith, thick bricks and steel constructions would be used as protection from cosmic radiation and also from temperature differences. Ice could be used as a native insulation material. Meteorites would be shot down by a system similar to an air defence turret, also big nets could be installed over the perimeter.
We would install greenhouses that would be made from several glass layers separated by vacuum to provide insulation. Plants are less sensitive to cosmic radiation, but notwithstanding, a kind of electrically steered collimators should be used to reduce the impact but not block the sunlight. Although not appetising, human excretions and also composted human and animal remains could be recycled for further use as fertiliser.
Humans could also farm less demanding animals for meat or cultivate synthetic meat from cell cultures. We could also farm thermophilic algae and other organisms used to living in harsh conditions for food.
Water would be harvested from polar ice.
Astronaut training programs would include mechanical, technical and laboratory skills. They would need to know how to exercise to prevent effects of microgravity (osteoporosis, atrophy of muscles and joints). They will also need to learn meditation and psychohygiene-mental preparation, so that harsh conditions of living, solitude and difference from Earth wouldn’t affect their psyche. They need to learn to deal with claustrophobia, fear from death. They also need to learn about how to deal in the situation of medical emergencies, basic medical procedures and use of medications.
