Technical Requirements for Lunar Structures
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The moon has recently regained the interest of many of the world’s space agencies. Lunar missions are the first steps in expanding manned and unmanned exploration inside our solar system. The moon represents various options; it can be used as a laboratory in low gravity, it is the closest and most accessible planetary object from the Earth, and it possesses many resources that humans could potentially exploit. This paper has two objectives: to review the current status of the knowledge of lunar environmental requirements for future lunar structures, and to attempt to classify different future lunar structures based on the current knowledge of the subject. The paper divides lunar development into three phases. The first phase is building shelters for equipment only; in the second phase, small temporary habitats will be built, and finally in the third phase, habitable lunar bases will be built with observatories, laboratories, or production plants. Initially, the main aspects of the lunar environment that will cause concerns will be lunar dust and meteoroids, and later will include effects due to the vacuum environment, lunar gravity, radiation, a rapid change of temperature, and the length of the lunar day. This paper presents a classification of technical requirements based on the current knowledge of these factors, and their importance in each of the phases of construction. It gives recommendations for future research in relation to the development of conceptual plans for lunar structures, and for the evolution of a lunar construction code to direct these structural designs. Some examples are presented along with the current status of the bibliography of the subject.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The writers are thankful for comments from Dr. Victoria Hipkin and Dr. Bjarni Tryggvason of the Canadian Space Agency, and Dr. Harold Ogden of Saint Mary’s University.
References
Angel, R. (2005). “A deep-field-infrared observatory near the lunar pole.” Phase 1 Rep., ⟨http://www.niac.usra.edu/files/studies/final_report/1006Angel.pdf⟩, NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, Atlanta.
Aulesa, V. (2000). “Architecture of lunar habitats.” Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon, B. H. Foing and M. Perry, eds., International Lunar Exploration Working Group, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 289–292.
Aulesa, V., Ruiz, F., and Casanova, I. (2000). “Structural requirements for the construction of shelters on planetary surfaces.” Proc., Space 2000, K. M. Chua et al., eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 403–409.
Bell, E. V. (2005). “AsiaSat3.” ⟨http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=1997-086A⟩, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Berger, B. (2005). “NASA rolling out lunar exploration study results.” Space News, 16(26), 1–4.
Billings, T. L., Walden, B., and York, C. L. (2000). “Lunar lavatube base construction.” Proc., Space 2000, K. M. Chua et al., eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 631–637.
Bolt, B. A. (1988). Earthquakes, W. H. Freeman, New York, 150–154.
Borin, A., and Fiscelli, M. (2004). “An inflatable living concept.” Proc., Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Challenging Environments: Earth and Space 2004, A. Maji and R. B. Malla, eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 797–804.
Buhler, C. R., and Wichmann, L. (2005). “Analysis of a lunar base electrostatic radiation shield concept.” Phase 1 Rep., ⟨http://www.niac.usra.edu/files/studies/final_report/921Buhler.pdf⟩, NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, Atlanta.
Bussey, D. B. J., Fristad, K. E., Schenk, P. M., Robinson, M. S., and Spudis, P. D. (2005). “Constant illumination at the lunar north pole.” Nature, Vol. 434, P. Campbell, ed., 842.
Cadogan, D. P., and Scarborough, S. E. (2001). “Rigidizable materials for use in gossamer space inflatable structures.” Proc., 42nd AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC, Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials, Conf. and Exhibit, AIAA Gossamer Spacecraft Forum, April 16–19, Seattle, Wa.
Carroll, K. A., Spencer, H., Arkani-Hamad, J., and Zee, R. E. (2005). “Lunette: An affordable Canadian lunar farside gravity mapping mission.” Canadian Space Exploration Workshop 5.
Casanova, I., and Aulesa, V. (2000). “Construction materials from in situ resources on the moon and mars.” Proc., Space 2000, K. M. Chua et al. eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 638–644.
Coombs, C. R., and Hawke, B. R. (1988). “A search for intact lava tubes on the moon: Possible lunar base habitats.” Proc., 2nd Conf. on Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century, NASA Conference Publication 3166, Vol. 1, Houston.
Coronado, A. R., Gibbins, M. N., Wright, M. A., and Stern, P. H. (1987). “Space station integrated wall design and penetration damage control.” Rep. No. D180-30550-4, Final Report, Contract NAS8-36426, Boeing Aerospace Company, Seattle.
Criswell, M. E., and Carlson, J. S. (2004). “Concepts for the design and construction of a modular inflatable habitat.” Engineering, construction, and operations in challenging environments, A. Maji and R. B. Malla, eds., ASCE, Houston, 9–16.
Eckart, P. (1999). The lunar base handbook, W. J. Larson, ed., McGraw-Hill, Montreal.
Gorenstein, P. (2002). “An ultra-high-throughput x-ray astronomy observatory with a new mission architecture.” ⟨http://www.niac.usra.edu/files/studies/final_report/380Gorenstein.pdf⟩, NIAC, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Mass.
Greene, K. A. (2004). “Design note on posttensioned cast basalt.” Engineering, construction, and operations in challenging environments: Earth and space 2004, A. Maji and R. B. Malla, eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 45–50.
Hawes, M. (2005). Lunar strategic roadmap status, briefing to the ISS strategic roadmap committee, NASA Space Operations, Washington, D.C.
Hayashida, K. B., and Robinson, J. H. (1991). “Single wall penetration equations.” NASA Technical Memorandum 103565, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, Washington, D.C.
Heiken, G., Vaniman, D., and French, B. (1991). Lunar sourcebook, Cambridge University Press, New York.
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). (2004). India’s first mission to the moon—Chandrayaan-1, ISRO, Antariksh Bhavan, India.
International Space University (ISU). (2000). “Autonomous lunar transport vehicle.” Design Project Rep., ISU, Strasbourg, Alsace, France.
International Space University (ISU). (2003). “Metztli: An international space station approach to lunar exploration.” Design Project Rep., ISU, Strasbourg, Alsace, France.
Kennedy, K. J., Raboin, J., Spexarth, G., and Valle, G. (2001). “Inflatable habitats.” Gossamer spacecraft: Membrane and inflatable technology for space applications, C. H. M. Jenkins, ed., American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, Va., 527–552.
Koelle, H., Benaroya, H., and Laufer, R. (2005). “Lunar development forum.” Lunar Base Q., 13(2), 1–20.
Konopliv, A. S., Binder, A. B., Hood, L. L., Kucinskas, A. B., Sjogren, W. L., and Williams, J. G. (1998). “Improved gravity field of the moon from lunar prospector.” Science, 281, 1476–1480.
Kruijff, M. (2000). “The peaks of eternal light on the lunar south pole.” Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon, B. H. Foing and M. Perry, eds., International Lunar Exploration Working Group, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 333–336.
Langlais, D. M., and Saulnier, D. P. (2000). “Reusable, pressurized dome for lunar construction.” Proc., Space 2000, K. M. Chua et al., eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 791–797.
Latham, G. V., et al. (1972). “Moonquakes and lunar tectonism.” Earth, Moon, Planets, 4(3-4), 373–382.
Laufer, R., and Roeser, H.-P. (2005). “An academic small satellite mission beyond low earth orbit—The lunar mission BW1 of the University of Stuttgart.” ⟨http://www.dlr.de/iaa.symp/archive_5/pdf/0508P_Laufer.pdf⟩, Institute of Space Systems, Univ. of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany (July, 2005).
Lin, T. D. (1987). “Concrete for lunar base construction.” Concr. Int.: Des. Constr., 9(7), 48–53.
Lin, T. D., et al. (1991). “Stresses in concrete panels exposed to the sun on the moon.” Lunar concrete, R. A. Kaden, ed., American Concrete Institute, Detroit, 141–154.
Lindsey, N. J. (2003). “Lunar station protection: Lunar regolith shielding.” Proc., Int. Lunar Conf. 2003/Int. Lunar Working Group 5—ILC2003/ILEWG 5, S. M. Durst, C. T. Bohannan, C. G. Thomason, M. R. Cerney, and L. Yuen, eds., AAS, San Diego, 143–148.
Mendell, W. (1998). “Effect of the lunar seismic environment on a moon-based optical interferometer.” Proc., Space 98, ASCE, Reston, Va., 451–461.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (1969). “Apollo 11 preliminary science report.” ⟨http://www.history.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/as11psr.pdf⟩ (July, 2005), NASA, Washington, D.C.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (1970). “Apollo 12 preliminary science report.” ⟨http://www.history.nasa.gov/alsj/a12/as12psr.pdf⟩ (July, 2005), NASA, Washington, D.C.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (1971a). “Apollo 14 preliminary science report.” ⟨http://www.history.nasa.gov/alsj/a14/as14psr.pdf⟩ (July, 2005), NASA, Washington, D.C.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (1971b). “Apollo 15 preliminary science report.” ⟨http://www.history.nasa.gov/alsj/a15/as15psr.pdf⟩ (July, 2005), NASA, Washington, D.C.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (1972). “Apollo 16 preliminary science report.” ⟨http://www.history.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/as16psr.pdf⟩ (July, 2005), NASA, Washington, D.C.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (1973). “Apollo 17 preliminary science report.” ⟨http://www.history.nasa.gov/alsj/a17/as17psr.pdf⟩ (July, 2005), NASA, Washington, D.C.
Jolliff, L. B., Wieczorek, M. A., Shearer, K. C., and Neal, R. C., eds. (2006). New views of the moon. Reviews in mineralogy & geochemistry, Vol. 60, Mineralogical Society of America, Chantilly, Va.
Parnell, T. A., Watts, J. W., Jr., and Armstrong, T. W. (1998). “Radiation effects and protection for moon and mars missions.” Proc., Space 98 Conf., 232–244. ASCE, Reston, Va., ⟨http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/space98pdf/cosmic.pdf⟩ (July 2005).
Rogers, W. P., and Sture, S. (1991). “Indigenous lunar construction materials.” Annual Rep., Center for Space Construction, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colo., 46–50.
Ruess, F., Kuhlmann, U., and Benaroya, H. (2004). “Structural design of a lunar base.” Engineering, construction, and operations in challenging environments, A. Maji and R. B. Malla, eds., ASCE, Houston, 17–23.
Sadeh, E., Sadeh, W., Criswell, M., Rice, E. E., and Abarbanel, J. (2000). “Inflatable habitats for lunar development.” Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon, B. H. Foing and M. Perry, eds., International Lunar Exploration Working Group, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 301–304.
Sharpe, B. L., and Schrunk, D. G. (2002). “Malapert Mountain revisited.” Proc., Space 2002 and Robotics 2002, B. E. Laubscher, S. W. Johnson, S. E. Moskowitz, P. Richter, and D. Klingler, eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 129–135.
Smith, D. H. (2002). “New frontiers in the solar system: An integrated exploration strategy.” Solar systems exploration survey, Space Studies Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.
Spudis, P. D. (1999). “The moon.” The new solar system, J. K. Beatty, C. C. Petersen, A. Chaikin, eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., 125–140.
Thangavelu, M. (2000). “Lunar rock structures.” Proc., 2000 Lunar Development Conf., 141–154.
Toklu, Y. C. (2000). “Civil engineering in the design and construction of a lunar base.” Proc., Space 2000, K. M. Chua et al., eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 822–834.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 21 • Issue 2 • April 2008
Pages: 72 - 90
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 12, 2006
Accepted: Mar 13, 2007
Published online: Apr 1, 2008
Published in print: Apr 2008
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.