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Moon Camp Pioneers 2022 – 2023 Project Gallery

 

In Moon Camp Pioneers, each team’s mission is to 3D design a complete Moon Camp using the software of their choice. 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.

Trailblazer

郑州轻工业大学附属中学  河南省郑州市-金水区    China 19, 18   5 / 4 English
3D design software: Fusion 360



1.1 – Project Description

Our lunar campsite plan provides astronauts with a simple base similar to Earth’s living environment, allowing them to feel that living on the moon is no different from Earth, while also obtaining favorable experimental data that can be transmitted back to Earth, promoting the development of geospatial technology. Our base is divided into six compartments, namely maintenance cabin, living cabin, planting cabin, experimental cabin, medical cabin and entrance. There are production water storage tanks, lunar rovers, lander, observatories and transport vehicles outside the base. The medical module is equipped with relatively complete medical equipment, which can solve most of the astronauts’ illnesses. The planting cabin is divided into two areas: soil cultivation and hydroponic cultivation, which can cultivate various plants. The maintenance compartment is used to repair damaged equipment. The living cabin is simple and elegant, not much different from ordinary rooms. There are various precision experimental equipment in the experimental cabin, used for experiments and collecting experimental data. Our base is named Trailbrazer and aims to carve out an area on the moon that allows astronauts to live comfortably.

1.2 – Why do you want to build a Moon Camp? Explain the main purpose of your Moon Camp (for example scientific, commercial and/or touristic purposes).

The theme of our moon camp is life and technology. The main purpose is livability, aiming to provide astronauts with a comfortable living environment that is not significantly different from life on Earth, and to provide laboratories, providing space for astronauts to conduct experiments and promoting the development of Earth technology. In terms of experiments, our campsite’s equipment and laboratory can carry out resource extraction, oxygen and water production, and provide equipment for various experiments and data collection.

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

We think that the lunar camp should be established near Shackleton Crater.

Reason: in the moon, the most important resources is solar energy, using replacement device to convert solar energy into electricity and thermal energy, to equipment capacity, and in the moon camp plants, the sun is indispensable, and, agricultural phosphorus potassium, ilmenite, cliff, moon water ice also belong to important resources, for astronauts, the survival necessities is water resources, permanent day area is the most likely solid water resources, therefore, from the survival of resources and astronauts, I think the best address location is in a cliff rock permanent day area, It is best to have less large water ice in the permanent night area nearby.

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

Our base is planned to be built using lunar soil 3D printing technology. Moon soil is a high-quality 3D printing material, and current 3D printing technology can already build small houses on the ground. So, we have decided to use 3D printing technology to make materials for the appearance of the base, using radiation resistant materials such as ceramics and titanium alloys internally to protect astronauts from radiation damage. We use solar panels to convert energy for the operation of lunar rovers and transportation collection vehicles, as well as batteries to store electricity. The lunar rover is equipped with a radar locator and camera, which can determine the position of the rover and explore the surrounding environment. The bottom of the transportation and collection vehicle is equipped with six wheels and multiple steel axles, providing strong stability. The vehicle is equipped with a mechanical arm, which is equipped with powerful multifunctional mechanical claws that can collect stones and other materials. In addition, our base is equipped with artificial gravity devices, and astronauts living here are basically the same as those on the ground.

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

(1)radiation

Our base’s external material selection is 3D printed lunar soil, which is a natural shielding material that can effectively block radiation and provide radiation protection for astronauts.

(2)Lunar dust

On the moon, dust is an extremely harmful factor that threatens the health of astronauts. According to a study by researchers at Stony Brook University funded by NASA, the dust on the moon is very rich, difficult to clean, destructive, and potentially deadly to cells. Therefore, avoiding the threat posed by lunar dust to astronauts has become a very urgent need. Our base has a high degree of automation, allowing remote control of lunar rovers, transport vehicles, lunar exploration, resource transportation, etc. from the central control console, greatly reducing the chances of astronauts coming into contact with lunar dust outside and providing dust protection for astronauts. 

3.1 – How will your Moon Camp provide astronauts with sustainable access to basic needs like water, food, air and power?

 (1) Water

Astronauts can solve the drinking problem by drinking reserve water, and fuel cell water, recycling and reuse water, manned spacecraft equipped with a corresponding size of water tank, fill it before departure, long time space journey water will run out, so a water recycling system, so that this part of the water circulation and purification, to solve the problem of astronauts draft, Mainly is the astronaut’s domestic wastewater and urine, sweat collection, through the specific water purification equipment (reverse osmosis) with the help of the selection through the (semi-permeable) membrane working force can be driven by pressure membrane separation function to filter impurities and harmful substances in the waste precipitation and finally get the pure water can be used to protect the basic life of astronauts.  126

  (2) Food

Some of the astronauts’ food will be sent to space in advance. In addition, our base has a planting cabin that can grow plants. With the development of technology, there are more and more types of food for astronauts. Our base is divided into kitchen areas that allow for simple cooking. Astronauts can not only eat instant food brought from Earth, but also make simple dishes themselves to improve their taste.   71

(3) Power

The main source of power is solar energy, as solar energy technology is relatively mature and reliable. Therefore, on the moon, various devices are basically driven to operate normally by collecting solar energy. In addition, solar energy is relatively safe to use on the moon, and there is no need to set up special safety protection measures for astronauts. The power of lunar rovers and transport vehicles is provided by batteries and solar energy.   74

(4) Air

On the moon, there are two ways to provide air for astronauts. One is to bring oxygen tanks directly from the ground. Our spacecraft can carry a certain number of oxygen tanks. The second method is to use the lunar oxygen machine, the working principle of the oxygen machine is to use the focused solar energy generated by the high temperature of the lunar soil chemical reactions, so as to produce oxygen, produce oxygen,produced oxygen can be stored in the oxygen tank.

3.2 – How will your Moon Camp deal with the waste produced by the astronauts on the Moon?

The waste produced by astronauts can be mainly divided into solid waste and liquid waste: solid waste will be dehydrated and vacuum packaged and stored, Paper towels, packaging bags, etc. are compressed, vacuumed, and then sealed in sealed bags to reduce volume,and then put into the garbage warehouse. When the cargo spacecraft returns, the spacecraft enters the atmosphere; the liquid waste can enter the water purification device, recycling and reuse.

3.3 – How will your Moon Camp maintain communications with Earth and other Moon bases?

The way to maintain contact between lunar campsites and other lunar bases is through radio signal transmission. Because they are all on the moon and not far away, the brief delay can be ignored, and the speed is very fast, so there will be no information delay; At present, China has made an amazing breakthrough in quantum teleportation. Therefore, the way to connect the lunar camp with the Earth is through Ground to Air Quantum Communication Transmission Major, which has extremely high security performance and fast speed.  

4.1 – What scientific topic(s) would be the focus of the research in your Moon Camp? Explain which experiments you plan to do on the Moon (for example in the topics of geology, low gravity environment, biology, technology, robotics, astronomy etc.).

The scientific subject of livability is the focus of our research. We plan to explore geological activities on the lunar camp to study the origin and development of the moon. At the same time, in order to meet the theme of human livable, it is also very important to cultivate plants in scientific experiments. We plan to install artificial gravity devices in the experiment module, which is beneficial to the accuracy of the experiment and help to measure precise data. At the same time, the construction of observatories around the base provides a guarantee for observing the universe and calculating the safety of the environment around the moon.

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

The training content first includes psychological training, a good candidate must be able to withstand the harsh test of take-off, so psychological training is essential. Second, learning the basics of first aid and medical care in case of an emergency, and training to use specialized instruments for safe extravehicular activities, astronauts spend a lot of time, learning how to use operating systems, and the science experiments that they do in space, and those that are selected for specific missions, intensive training for them, Learn how to operate complex instruments and how to fix them if something goes wrong. Because outer space is a microgravity state, astronauts train in a neutral buoyancy lab, allowing them to simulate activities or spacewalks in the space environment. In addition, astronauts need to practice landing survival skills.

5.2 – What space vehicles will your future Moon mission need? Describe the vehicles found in your Moon camp and consider how you will travel to and from Earth, and explore new destinations on the Moon’s surface.

Our base has reusable launch vehicles and vehicles such as transport vehicles and lunar buggies. The lunar rover is operated through a central console, which is equipped with a camera that allows astronauts to observe the terrain of the moon through a large screen on the base. The transport vehicle is also controlled by a central console, which is equipped with a robotic arm that can grab materials from the moon and bring them back to the base for astronauts to study. In addition, transport vehicles can also carry people. When astronauts discover through the large screen that some places are worth on-site investigation or searching for new destinations, they can take the transport vehicle to go there.