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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.

Whirlwind

郑州轻工业大学附属中学河南省-郑州市 China 19 4 / 4 English
3D design software: Fusion 360

External Viewer for 3D Project

1.1 – Project Description

The base aims to provide a shelter for astronauts to maximize their daily lives and scientific research. We have built a three story building with hidden wheels underneath, and the interior mimics a spider web structure, making the overall weight of the building lighter and easier to move .

The first floor of the building is a work area, mainly including laboratories, conference rooms, medical rooms, water production stations, and oxygen stations; The second floor is a living area that can meet the daily needs of astronauts, mainly including a restaurant kitchen, planting and breeding cabin, toilet, and leisure room (gym); The third floor is the main control room, which is mainly responsible for the movement of the base building, ground to moon communication, and hazard warning notification. The main control room is also equipped with a navigation system, a thermostatic system, and a circulation system.

We have established a highly closed biological regeneration life support system within the base, ensuring that astronauts’ food is guaranteed, and waste utilization and water circulation are maximized; Intelligent robots have been built to reduce unnecessary labor for astronauts, such as picking, cooking, and cleaning.

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).

Our main purpose is scientific research. The special environment on the moon makes it a natural laboratory for scientific research. The surface of the moon is a natural, ultra-stable, ultra-vacuum, ultra-quiet, ultra-clean, and low-gravity laboratory that cannot meet these requirements on Earth. The lunar environment is highly clean, microgravity, pollution-free, and free of magnetic fields and atmosphere, making it suitable for conducting physical and life science experiments. Low gravity environmental experiments on the moon can also replace microgravity experiments on some space stations. Therefore, we plan to conduct some scientific experiments on the moon.

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

The Moon Base will initially be located around the Aikent Basin at the south pole of the Moon, which is an excellent location. Because the southern highlands of the moon can receive more solar radiation. At the same time, the meteorite crater at the south pole of the moon can help form water, which can not be evaporated for a long time. Water ice can be collected to meet the water demand of the base. Due to the mobile base, if the site is not suitable for astronaut survival and scientific research, satellite navigation can be used to move to a more suitable place for survival.

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.

The first is the selection of building materials. We use titanium and radiation resistant quartz glass to block the effects of radiation, meteorites, and temperature differences. In addition, we will seal the building and cover the surface of the building with a layer of solar paint to absorb heat, insulate heat, and reflect radiation, making the building more protective. We have set up a danger warning notice, which can detect and analyze the impact of meteorites, cosmic radiation, solar wind, and other factors on the base and provide relevant solutions in a timely manner.The system can automatically detect the temperature, humidity, air quality, and other factors within the base and make timely adjustments or issue an alarm.

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

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

Water：
Water mainly comes from the moon’s water ice, which emits concentrated radiation such as solar energy into the moon’s water ice, allowing these water ice substances to evaporate, and then collects them. In addition, we have set up a water circulation system, where all used water will be collected for plant planting and purification treatment. Other substances such as urine after purification treatment will be further treated and used for plant planting nutrients.
Food：
The initial food will be transported from the Earth until the food in the planting and breeding cabin is edible. We will use hydroponics to grow food, vegetables, and fruits in the cultivation module,and cultivate Tenebrio molitor as a source of animal protein to meet the nutritional needs of astronauts.
Power：
Our main source of electric power is solar energy. We use folding solar panels to clean the solar panels to prevent dust from adhering and reducing the efficiency of the solar panels. We install a movable wheel base under the solar panels and install an automatic light seeking system on the solar panels to enhance the efficiency of the solar panels. We have installed power storage equipment so that insufficient light does not affect the use of base facilities.
Air：
We use molten electrolysis to produce oxygen, which is synthesized by first heating and then electrolysis of ilmenite and ferrous oxide in the lunar soil. In addition, we will set up an air circulation system to purify the carbon dioxide rich air generated by animal and waste treatment and deliver it to the plant cabin for plant photosynthesis; After that, the oxygen-enriched air generated by the plant cabin is purified and sent to the comprehensive cabin for human and animal respiration and to provide the oxygen required for waste treatment, thereby completing air recycling.

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

The inedible biomass, such as straw, human feces, and food residues, are treated together with developed biotechnology to prepare soil matrix for recycling in plant cultivation. The carbon dioxide rich air generated by animal and waste treatment is purified and delivered to the plant compartment for plant photosynthesis. The oxygen rich air generated by the plant cabin is purified and sent to the comprehensive cabin for human and animal respiration, as well as providing oxygen for waste treatment. The condensed water generated by plant transpiration in the plant cabin, after purification, is partly supplied with trace elements by the system and sent to the comprehensive cabin to meet the needs of people’s domestic water. The remaining purified domestic wastewater and urine are used together for plant cultivation.

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

Our camp plans to use a laser communication system to keep in touch with Earth and other lunar bases. The laser communication system includes two parts: sending and receiving. The sending part mainly includes a laser, an optical modulator and an optical transmitting antenna. The receiving part mainly includes an optical receiving antenna, an optical filter, and a photo detector. Laser communication has a wide frequency band, short wavelength, large optical gain, high coherence and spatial orientation. This method has the characteristics of large capacity, light structure, economical equipment, small size, low power consumption, and strong confidentiality.

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.).

We plan to conduct experiments in low gravity environments on the moon, which makes it a natural laboratory for scientific research and an ideal base for producing special products due to its unique environment. We have established specialized laboratories to conduct physics and life science experiments, as well as research on special biological products. For example, the impact of low gravity environments on the ability of microorganisms to extract minerals from rocks, and the design and research of low gravity exoskeleton systems. Bio mining is a process that utilizes microorganisms to extract valuable elements from rocks and soil. In addition, microorganisms can directly extract other elements such as zinc, nickel, cobalt, and uranium from ores. Therefore, using microorganisms to obtain the necessary elements from rocks and soil in space can reduce the need to import materials from Earth. In order to further improve the mobility and operational capabilities of astronauts on low gravity planet surfaces, we plan to conduct exoskeleton research on the moon to reduce the risk of injury to astronauts.

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

We plan to provide physical training, simulation task training, simulator training, team collaboration training, multilingual training, and psychological training for astronauts. Physical training: engaging in long-term aerobic exercise under the gravity of the Earth, including running, swimming, and cycling; Carry out strength training in the gym to adapt to work and activities under low gravity environment; Learn how to use sports equipment, such as a space treadmill and fitness equipment. Simulation task training: simulating the operation and maintenance of tasks in a spacecraft; Simulate the operation and maintenance of space walking; Plan to conduct scientific experiments. Simulator training: Simulate various emergency operations and responses in the simulator, such as fires, oxygen leaks, and power failures; Simulate the takeoff, flight, and landing operations of spacecraft. Team collaboration training: Conduct task simulation and simulator training with other astronauts to ensure effective collaboration during the mission. Multi language training: Learn and use multiple languages, such as English, Russian, and Chinese, to ensure effective communication with other international astronauts and ground control centers. Psychological training: receiving psychological training to cope with loneliness, stress, and other possible psychological problems; Learn how to handle stress and difficulties in emergency situations.

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.

We plan to use heavy-duty launch vehicles for lunar missions. Firstly, we will launch construction robots and the materials and tools needed to build the base onto the moon. We will use remote control robots to build the base, and then launch astronauts and living supplies onto the moon. We plan to use manned rockets for round-trip between the Earth and the Moon. We have built lunar rovers that can conduct small-scale surveys, and our base is a movable building that can move on the surface of the Moon to explore new destinations.