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Our Moon Camp project represents an alternative of living for the human species, as the Earth is going on an exponential over-population and our Blue Planet has already suffered a lot of pollution and disasters. We intend to build a lunar base consisting of shelters (homes), workings areas (greenhouses, powerhouses, education and health buildings) and rest areas (library, indoor cinema, theater, etc.). The lunar base will be highly protected from any radiations and temperature-changes and the Moon Camp astronauts will also have to follow schedule rules for proper organization. We plan on sustaining life on the moon, exploiting lunar and earth resources by building power-centrals (for energy), systems that result in obtaining water and breathable air and greenhouses to preserve our food. We are going to use the help of 3D printers too. We want to make living on the moon a productive and an enjoyable lifestyle.

Firstly, we will choose our setting near the dark part of the Moon. There we can find ice from which we can get water. We will also need to do some digging first. The surface of the moon is sticky and fragile, causing the attrition of metal and glass. We believe the underground resources, such as fuel materials, are best to be used and the place should not be lived but exploited. On the other hand, we would rather place the Moon Camp on the surface than underground; A better spot for our base would be at one of the two poles, the reason being that there is more exposure to Sun, necessary for the solar energy and leading to other benefits regarding resources.

We decided to create the base in a hexagonal shape, because it has the largest volume, using the least amount of materials. Plus, we will have semi sphere shaped shelters.

The lunar base must be survivable, sustainable and operational. We would use titanium as construction material. It is 10 times harder than steel, making it the best choice. Then, we will cover it with lunar dust for protection. Also, 3D printers may be our best helpers! The materials can be either imported from Earth or extracted directly from the moon (lunar dust for lunar bricks; iron from the moon’s iron core). Plastic, metal, usually spare parts, these could be easily procured from Earth and considerably used too. Besides, we can use what is generated during the lunar base operations, such as cellulose, obtained from the plants. Both organic and inert elements can be used as great materials.

Water is essential. First, transporting water from Earth would suppose too high shipping costs and potable water on Earth lacks enough. The moon’s soil contains O2, so we may only need to import H2 from Earth. As we already use the oxygen for breathing, it is possible not be enough to produce water also. On the other hand, researchers have discovered the presence of ice cubes collected at the south pole of the moon. Using the technique of water mining, combined with H2 shipped from Earth results in the best idea to procure water for living.

We could import from Earth all the chemicals not readily available on the moon and reuse them in a natural circle, starting with growing the plants in the farming area. Still, to achieve food variation, more chemicals and substances need to be provided from Earth, which would be highly expensive, especially on a long-term living. However, using the 3D printing plan, everything comes out easier. We could still reuse food in a natural cycle and also, we could 3D print it directly on the plate!

Because of the day-night variation, we could conserve the power of solar cells obtained at daytime and capture it using solar panels. Plus, the moon’s soil has a considerable amount of Uranium, that can be mined to obtain nuclear power. Using the water resource and building a nuclear power station will result in having electricity! A more innovative idea is to use thorium, less radioactive than uranium and even cheaper and easier to find on Earth. In addition, we can find Helium-3 in the Moon’s ice. It could be a great choice of fuel, power and cooling.

Air is the most important resource for living and so without air, the whole plan means nothing. Good to say, it is fairly easy to obtain breathable air. Why? Because the moon’s soil contains Oxygen that could be harvested using heat and electricity.

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We must not forget about the temperature issues that occur on the Moon. At daytime, there is an average temperature of 123 C˚ and at night, due to the moon’s rotation, the average temperature lowers to approximately -233 C˚. Another thing to worry about are moonquakes.

Outside the shelter, people will need a special costume, like astronauts wear, because they must be able to withstand the radical swing between temperatures and be able to stand up to the lunar vacuum, resist lunar radiation and protect against abrasive lunar soil. In the microgravity environment of space, a spacesuit weighs nothing. Putting on a spacesuit takes 45 minutes, including the time it takes to put on the special undergarments that help keep people cool. The reason that spacesuits are white is because white reflects heat in space the same as it does here, on Earth.

A day on the Moon

Our Moon Camp is designed so that, even if the people are almost 400000 km from your birth planet, they would still feel like there, having activities to remind you of Earth.

A day on our Moon Camp would start with everybody waking up to the alarm set at 7:30 am. Everyone can choose whether they would like to go eat the breakfast at 8 am or just skip it.

The work time starts just after the breakfast ends. The schedule is made on a 2-day cycle: 1 day you would work outside the camp and the other day inside the camp. This is necessary for the total consumption of water, someone staying all day at the camp needing only 3L, while someone working outside needing about 4,5L. An example of an outside job is supervising and growing the greenhouse plants.

Children and teenagers have school or even university during that time; they learn and even get a degree.

Lunch starts at 1:30 pm, alongside with a break that lasts until 4 pm. The astronauts can relax by watching movies, telling stories with their friends and family or playing games in an arcade room. There is even a playground for kids. There are also other places where you can go, like libraries for bookworms or people who want to write their stories or experiences, or even laboratory-research for their own experiments.

Everyone shall continue working until 8 pm, when dinner starts, along with some other night activities such as live-performance concerts, or karaoke.

Sleeping schedules are up to everyone’s choice, but it is recommended to stay up until maximum 12 am so the astronauts would have enough time to rest for the hard day coming after.