Our project on the Moon aims to open new horizons for a better knowledge of the moon and space. Creating a functional dome on the moon would be a big step for science and humanity. Our project combines comfort with the needs of science, creating a perfect space for researchers to help humanity.

In the first phase of the project, a rocket, containing robots and technology that helps robots build the base, will be launched on the surface of the moon. In the second phase, researchers from all branches of science will stay on the moon base. The dome will be perfect for their exploration so they will fulfill their mission on the moon. The mission is intended to help the development of science and the advancement of technology in space research.

We chose the location of our moon camp in the South Pole region of the Moon, as it is more than suitable for research missions. The region is permanently touched by sunlight, making it ideal for energy harvesting. The interior of the craters is shaded, favoring the existence of frozen deposits, which may contain fossils dating back to the Moon’s formation period. Also, the South Pole contains large deposits of oxygen, iron, silica, hydrogen, magnesium, calcium, aluminum, titanium, manganese, the first three being more abundant. The lunar North Pole region exhibits a much lower quantity of similarly sheltered craters.

The exact location of our moon camp lies between the Cabeus B and Amundsen Craters; following the LCROSS Mission, water was confirmed to exist in large quantities in the Cabeus Crater. We chose to place our base on the outside of the crater, as the inside is too cold and dark.

We will build the moon camp during the first mission. The required materials will be landed separately: 20 solar panels (2.3 x 0.86 meters), 2 Kilopower generators, 3 types of robots, and 7 inflatable domes should suffice. The robots will do all the building work: one robot designed for collecting regolith, built like a vacuum that absorbs the regolith. The second one will take the regolith from the first one and dry-press bricks 30 x 15 x 15 cm in size. The third robot will take the bricks with an extendable arm which can reach up to 7 meters high. This helps it place bricks around the inflatable dome.

The robots will be autonomous; they work according to an algorithm but for redundancy reasons, all robots will have cameras onboard and, if something goes wrong, can be remotely controlled from Earth. They will also have navigation sensors to help them orient in the field.

The location of our lunar camp is to be near the Cabeus Crater, where water was confirmed in sufficient quantities, ice deposits being explored with a special mining robot, the same robot as the regolith absorbing one. The robot will simultaneously heat and pressurize the ice to prevent sublimation; the water obtained will be distilled to get rid of any possible residue. The wastewater from showers and urine will also be recycled by going through a special filtering process. We will later use distilled and recycled water as drinking water, and shower water.

Within the two missions, we will send astronauts with all the food they would need for the whole mission because plants require a longer time to grow. We used an aeroponics growing system because it is very efficient and needs few supplies. The first plants that will grow in the greenhouse will be spinach, radishes, and lettuce, as they grow faster. After we establish a steady food supply, we could start growing other plants. Astronauts could later bring with them something other than plants, such as meat. They need to have a diverse diet.

The main power supply will be a solar panel field located close to the moon base. The robots will also have solar panels on them, giving them independent energy. They will have batteries to store the energy for night usage when the panels can’t produce energy, and after the batteries discharge, the robots will use an MMRT generator to continue working. The energy from the panels is entirely used by the base. When there is no sun, the backup system, composed of two enriched uranium-based kilopower reactors, kicks in to produce energy.

The oxygen is going to be extracted from regolith, as it contains around 45% oxygen. The process used is called METALYSIS FCC, an electrolysis for metals that we will use for oxygen instead. This process needs about 15 kg of regolith a day in order to provide oxygen for a crew of six. The regolith will be provided by a robot. It has to be changed manually every 8 hours and the residue will be used as a construction material. The oxygen obtained is diluted with nitrogen. As there is no nitrogen on the moon, it will be transported from Earth.

The Moon’s environment is very dangerous; therefore, we have taken some protective measures to make sure that the astronauts are safe.

The first thing to protect them is the location of the base in the South Pole of the Moon: the mean annual temperature is -13°C which is a comfortable temperature for humans. Inside the dome, we will raise the temperature just a few degrees higher.

The second thing that will protect astronauts will be the material that the dome is made of: regolith. As solar radiation is very powerful, the regolith functions like a shield.

Another safety measure is a tunnel that will connect the exterior with the interior of the domes. Inside the tunnels, the astronauts’ costumes will be disinfected. Paradoxically, the regolith protects them from radiation, but, if inhaled, can be deadly.

Moreover, the astronauts will make extensive use of well-protected rovers to explore the surroundings.

We decided that a day on the moon base will have a total of 24 hours, as it would be very difficult for people to adapt to a different schedule than the one that they have gotten used to their whole life.

The sleep period will be 8 hours long, in order for the crew to get enough sleep and to be able to relax, as life on the moon could get very stressful. After 8 hours of good sleep, the astronauts are awakened by an alarm. Between the alarm and the beginning of the workday, they have an hour of “post-sleep” period. During this period, the crew has breakfast, could read newspapers, relax and interact with each other; besides, one of the crew members will also have to change the regolith from the METALYSIS FCC machine, as it must be manually changed every 8 hours. When the “post-sleep” period is over, the crew holds a short meeting during which they talk about the tasks for the day. Within this meeting, they also communicate with the earth crew.  

As each of them knows the task they are assigned to, they get to work for about 3 hours. They then take a break from work, as it is lunchtime. This break lasts for about an hour. After the lunch break, they resume work for 3.5 hours. This brings them to a total of 6.5 working hours a day.

After they finish work, they have to work out for 2.5 hours, in order to stay healthy. The gym will be equipped with a cycle ergometer and a treadmill for cardiovascular exercise – loading the skeletal system and maintaining the neuromuscular patterns for locomotion, and a Resistance Exercise Device for maintaining muscles and bones. As there aren’t enough exercise devices for the whole crew to workout at the same time, while some team members exercise, the others have free time, in which they could relax, shower, work on other projects or socialize.

Before dinner, they have one more meeting in which they discuss the day’s achievements and talk for the last time with Earth. After this meeting, they cease all communications with Earth, in order for the crew to relax and have dinner together. After dinner, it is bedtime, as they have to get ready for another full day on the Moon.