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.
郑州轻工业大学附属中学 河南省郑州市-金水区 China 18 4 / 1 English
3D design software: Fusion 360
Our lunar camp focuses on scientific research, such as collecting and analyzing lunar soil minerals and space gases through vacuum glove boxes, Raman spectrometers and scanning electron microscopes. Garbage generated on the moon is collected by a rotating distillation unit. Garbage is heated and decomposed in the rotating distillation unit and evaporated into gas. The gas is cooled into liquid in the condenser. The oxygen produced by the molten oxygen plant will lay the foundation for a sustainable human base in the future.
In addition, we are equipped with the Earth-Moon Information Transfer satellite system, with the moon’s radar for information transmission, to ensure efficient communication between astronauts and the Earth. By using 3D printing technology to build a lunar rover and an ice-mining water wheel, the important problems of material transportation and water production have been solved.
We try our best to protect the safety of astronauts and maintain their basic living security, so as to ensure their physical and mental health.
The main purpose of our lunar camp is to conduct scientific experiments on the moon and obtain research results, so as to facilitate the collection of resources and sustainable use of energy, and ultimately to realize long-term human habitation and development on the moon. As one of the closest celestial bodies to the Earth, the moon has abundant mineral resources, water content, stable geological environment and other features on its surface, which have high scientific research value and industrial development potential. We will mainly study lunar resources in terms of lunar soil, space gas and light analysis, and accumulate relevant scientific research experience to lay a foundation for human exploration of the moon in the future
We chose to set up a lunar camp at Shackleton Crater on the moon’s South Pole. According to the data survey, firstly, there are some craters here, and the shadow area is rich in water ice, which can be obtained by hot melting technology with ice mining vehicles. Second, some areas here are constantly exposed to sunlight, making it possible to power the polar regions entirely with solar energy. In addition, a lunar base would need to store a lot of energy, and hydrogen fuel cells would be ideal for achieving this goal, using water from the moon’s poles and surplus solar energy. Finally, we plan to build a relay station for Earth-moon communication in the nearby Mount Malabut to realize barrier-free transmission of earth-moon information.
In terms of the main construction of the base, we adopted the carapace derived structure as the basic structure of the lunar base, which has high stability and is more solid, and can effectively protect against meteorite impact and cosmic ray radiation.
We brought basic materials and equipment from Earth to prepare the base for construction. In addition, we used lunar basalt as the raw material for the base construction and 3D printing technology for the base construction. In addition, the ultimate compressive strength and tensile strength of concrete made from lunar basalt are about 10 times that of existing concrete.
Lunar soil can be sintered by microwave heating to form ceramic materials, and because it is rich in silicates, it can also be made into particularly pure glass materials under vacuum environment.
The active removal technology of lunar dust represented by the electric curtain technology is adopted in the scientific research equipment, furniture and astronauts’ space suits inside the base, which can effectively prevent the electrostatic damage caused by the lunar dust adsorbed on the instrument surface due to the electrostatic effect, so as to protect the safety of astronauts.
The outermost layer is made of composite materials using aerogel, advanced thermal protection materials and lunar soil as raw materials, using the combination technology of materials with high atomic number and materials with low atomic number to prevent harmful cosmic radiation, and avoid excessively high daytime temperature and excessively low night temperature.
The biggest hazards on the moon are meteorite impacts, radiation from cosmic rays, extreme temperature differences, and lunar dust infestation.
- Meteorite impact: The location of the base greatly reduces the probability of meteorite impact. Compressive materials can effectively protect the base. The radar of the base will also monitor the situation of the base in real time, so as to make timely protection.
- Radiation from cosmic rays, extreme temperature differences: Aerogels, advanced thermal protection materials and composite materials made of lunar soil are used in the outermost layer to protect against radiation and maintain a constant temperature inside the base.
- Moon dust infestation: Use the active dust removal technology represented by the electric curtain technology to prepare self-cleaning materials for cleaning.
Water ：On the one hand, there is a lot of water ice in Antarctica, which can be mined by ice mining trucks and melted by heat. On the other hand, water can be produced by combining oxygen from the moon’s abundant iron oxide compounds in a high-temperature furnace with hydrogen gas from the moon’s atmosphere and solar wind collected by probes and solar sails.
Food: In the early stage of construction, astronauts will eat food with high nutritional value brought from the earth. When the planting area is completed, different kinds of plants such as carrots rich in vitamin C and soybeans rich in calcium and protein can be grown. At the same time, the laboratory can also recycle carbon dioxide to make starch through recycling equipment.
Air：We will use high temperature melting method of oxygen and plant photosynthesis to produce oxygen, through the moon’s rich iron oxide compounds into the high temperature melting furnace combustion and plant photosynthesis can get a lot of oxygen, and finally through the relevant chemical reactions can get a variety of raw materials in the air, and then get air.
Power : The solar panels would convert solar energy into electricity, providing enough power for a lunar base. And it can be stored in batteries for use at night. Secondly, we will use hydrogen and oxygen fuel cells as a second option to provide electricity and heat for the base.
Solid wastes include astronaut excrement, inedible parts of plants, kitchen waste, etc.The organic solid waste is treated by high temperature aerobic fermentation, and the products after treatment can be applied as organic fertilizer. The carbon dioxide produced in the fermentation process can also be passed into the plant tank as raw materials for plant photosynthesis. The inorganic solid waste is decomposed by heat in the rotary distillation unit, evaporates into a gas, and the gas is cooled into a liquid in the condenser, and the liquid can be decomposed into a substance that can be reused.
The liquid waste can be used in the reactor to use large mirrors to refract sunlight onto the reactor and heat it to more than 900 degrees with lunar soil to separate the various components in the liquid waste. The gas produced by the separation can be used for plant culture .
The satellite communication technology will be used to transmit the collected data and information to the Earth or other lunar bases by means of voice, video and static transmission through Earth-moon communication satellites and ground communication stations, so as to ensure real-time communication between the moon and the Earth. Realize data and information sharing, materials allocation, etc., and carry out work exchange between bases.
Geology will be the focus of our lunar camp.
The following experiments are expected to be carried out on the moon:
Lunar mineral analysis experiment: transporting and collecting minerals by lunar rover, using Raman spectrometer to study and analyze the mineral composition of the lunar surface, so as to fully understand the mineral resources on the moon, so as to make future use plans.
Lunar landform experiment: Scanning electron microscope is used to bombade the surface of the sample with a fine-focused high-energy electron beam, and the secondary electrons generated by the interaction between the electron and the sample are backflashed with electron information, so as to observe the morphology of minerals in the lunar soil. Mineral morphology distribution can be obtained in the future mining of mineral resources on the moon to make planning. And through the camera, laser radar and other technologies to measure and study the geomorphic surface of the moon, understand the geomorphic evolution and structural characteristics of the moon
Moon Dust experiment: Artificially collecting dust samples from the lunar surface and analyzing them using a vacuum glove box to prevent lunar dust from harming astronauts. The composition and origin of dust on the moon’s surface, and the origin and evolution of the solar system.
Physical and physiological training: Astronauts go through a range of physical and physiological training, including spatial adaptation (survival training in a confined simulated space), gravity adaptation (long periods of lean and spin training), and cardiovascular and muscular training (aerobic and anaerobic exercise to improve endurance and cardiopulmonary function). And so on, to adapt to living and working in the space environment for a long time.
Technical and engineering training: Astronauts need to master a variety of space technology and engineering knowledge, including space vehicle operation, flight control, space medicine, space environmental protection and other knowledge.
Remote control and communications training: Astronauts need to learn and practice the use and maintenance of various remote control and communications equipment, as well as various communication protocols and processes, in order to maintain contact with ground control.
Simulation training: Astronauts need to conduct a series of simulation training, mainly including launch, orbital flight, space vehicle docking, space maintenance, space walking and other space mission simulation training and weightlessness, fire, oxygen leakage and other emergency simulation training, to ensure their safe and effective operation in the outer space environment.
Food and water management: Astronauts need to understand how to manage and handle food and water supplies to ensure adequate nutrition and hydration in the space environment.
Teamwork and mental health training: Astronauts need to have a good sense of teamwork and mental health to maintain stability and collaboration in the space environment. Team training and psychological counseling can be conducted to improve the psychological quality of astronauts.
The required spacecraft needs to have a good enclosed space environment, complete oxygen cycle manufacturing system, autonomous navigation capability, lightweight design, good durability, and high fuel efficiency.
The main means of transportation are lunar buggies and lunar spacecraft powered by hydrogen and oxygen fuels. Powered by solar panels, the rover can carry astronauts to various destinations to explore and survey the lunar surface. The Lunar Orbiter is a vehicle specifically designed for flight and exploration around the moon. It can carry personnel and equipment to carry out scientific research and exploration work around the moon.
When returning to Earth, astronauts first enter the lunar module or similar capsule and use rockets or other thrusters to escape the moon’s gravity and enter lunar orbit. The docking orbiter then leaves the moon’s gravity and enters Earth orbit. Docking with the Earth module, again using rockets or other thrusters, and entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Finally, astronauts will need to use parachutes or other retarding devices to safely lower the orbiter to the Earth’s surface.
