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SIG Moon Camp is a modular design idea for the first explorer base on the moon. Base is expandable as needed, consisting of easily deployable inflatable multipurpose modules that combines with control modules, entrance stations and expandable tunnels. At the heart of base is production station and fleet of rovers. Our project depicts early stage of base development before human astronauts – moon campers can take over station. Overall to deploy SIG Moon camp base there needs to be 3 preparation flights with Ariane 6 and first human astronauts can arrive with fourth flight. First mission would deploy rovers, production station and first control module. Second mission would deploy 6 control modules and 6 inflatable modules, and third mission would bring 2 entrance stations, expandable tunnels, second production station and extra equipment. With last flight astronauts and necessary equipment and supplies will land.

We would construct our moon base in the south pole region, on the Malapert mountain. That location would give us access to permanent sunlight, that we would use for power generation and production stations for 3d printing. Then there is water in surface ice that can be found near the base, in the craters. We would use it for drinking, growing agriculture, hygiene, different kinds of experiments and a lot more. There also is lunar soil that will be used for things like construction, 3d printing, experiments and for gathering materials like aluminium, iron, silicon, oxygen and more. That can be further used for other expansion of Moon Camp. Later it can evolve to produce resources or products that can be shipped to earth.

To make SIG Moon Camp operational all necessary base materials will be brought from earth. After first landing main builder of moon camp will be rovers – autonomous or from earth operated rovers with exchangeable attachments (one for digging, one for manipulating objects and doing maintenance, repairs, etc., one for carrying load or astronauts), that will dig lunar soil and prepare landing pad, deploy solar panels, connect production station to control module. During second phase when extra 6 control modules and inflatable modules will be deployed, production station will start covering part of base with lunar soil for protection. Third flight will bring rest of base for final assembly. After that production station will use lunar soil 3D printing capabilities to produce all necessary equipment structures (tables, beds, furniture, etc for base). When first astronauts arrive, they will make final improvements – plant gardens for food, prepare science module and start living.

Rover teams will dig for surface ice and bring it to production station for recycling and extraction and produce water. Control module one of functions is to be hub for storing water and waste products (recycling moisture from air, human waste, and returning to water storage system. Through connections between modules water can be passed to other modules when necessary and with pump system pressure can be achieved for circulating it around Moon Camp.

For first period food will be brough from earth together with equipment, but after first month Garden module (one of inflatable modules) will start producing crops, vegetables, and fruits. But still mostly will rely on food brought from Earth. On later stages Moon Camp will be able to process its harvested crops to produce more complex food, and when number of settlers will grow it will be able to sustain itself with plant-based protein foods.

Power will be produced using solar panels and stored in control modules, there is wiring and communication cables around Moon Camp that ensure constant flow of electricity. In production stations raw focused solar light is used for melting and 3D printing lunar soil.

Air is produced in production station where oxygen is extracted from lunar soil and mixed with necessary compounds to create breathable air and feed it through control module into Moon Camp. Control module is hub that follows and houses life support systems and controls air quality, temperature and different gas levels inside it – when necessary extra oxygen is produced and mixed into system.

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To achieve better protection from radiation, asteroids and other harm on surface, base will be covered with layer of lunar soil for protection, most of structure under lunar soil will be base of operation for astronauts, each module can be locked from rest of camp when necessary in case of problems/troubles. Each control module has a top escape hatch if needed. Therefore, in case of emergency inhabitants can lock themselves in to stay alive. Minimal base has two production stations and two entrance stations with EVA suits, so there are always two possible exits.

At early stage of Moon Camp days will mostly consist of working and improving base, establishing daily protocols. There are 6 inflatable multipurpose modules that needs to be prepared – two for living (each will host two beds, private lockers, hygiene equipment), one science module for conducting experiments and repairs, etc., one as command centre/main hall (for team meetings, eating, communication with earth), one as garden with necessary hydroponic equipment and one module as storage area/multipurpose space. Astronauts will mainly go to lunar surface using EVA suits attached to entrance stations through climb in hatch. On lunar surface they will do exploring around riding rover with attached astronauts chair, improve outside of camp, search for interesting places. Inside base astronauts will be able to conduct scientific experiments and monitor Moon Camp – pass commands for rovers, create and test designs for production station 3D printers. First astronauts will have to work for future expansion and colonization of moon. Our modular design proposal allows rapid expansion of Moon Camp – with extra flight more rovers and production stations, multipurpose modules and control modules can be delivered, and base can be expanded as needed.  For first astronauts main task is to settle and besides scientific research, explore possibilities for rapid production industry expansion on the Moon.