Structural Design of a Lunar Habitat
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 19, Issue 3
Abstract
A lunar base is an essential part of all the new space exploration programs because the Moon is the most logical first destination in space. Its hazardous environment will pose challenges for all engineering disciplines involved. A structural engineer’s approach is outlined in this paper, discussing possible materials and structural concepts for second-generation construction on the Moon. Several different concepts are evaluated and the most reasonable is chosen for a detailed design. During the design process, different solutions—for example, for the connections—were found. Although lunar construction is difficult, the proposed design offers a relatively simple structural frame for erection. A habitat on the Moon can be built with a reasonable factor of safety and existing technology. Even so, we recognize the very significant difficulties that await our return to the Moon.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 19 • Issue 3 • July 2006
Pages: 133 - 157
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Jul 6, 2004
Accepted: Mar 22, 2005
Published online: Jul 1, 2006
Published in print: Jul 2006
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