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LunarLAB:�Lava-Tube Astronomical Base

Julia Condon

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Final Presentation

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ASTE527 Graduate Space Concepts Studio

Department of Astronautical Engineering

Viterbi School of Engineering

December 12th, 2017

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The United States in Space

  • ASRA: The American Space Renaissance Act
    • ASRA presents need to reestablish US dominance in space
    • Problem: This hasn’t been happening lately!
    • Need to re-inspire countries and people of the world with a fascination for human space activity

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The United States in Space

  • The National Space Council: Reborn
    • Oct 5, 2017 – first meeting since 1993
    • Accentuated ASRA goals
    • Humanity has not returned to the Moon since Apollo 17 (Dec 1972)
    • USA has not left LEO in 25+ years
    • NSC pushing US presence on Moon
    • Emphasis: boost economy, commercial sector, government prowess
    • Encourage collaboration between government and contractors

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LunarLAB

  • LunarLAB: “Lava-Tube Astronomical Base”
  • Astronomy: A natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena
    • Ideal for study – low seismic activity, negligible atmosphere, slow spin=long integration period
    • entire electromagnetic spectrum available
    • Protected from micrometeorites

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LunarLAB

  • Surface and subsurface facilities
    • Lander sites, dwellings
  • Government, commercial, private sec. use
  • Sustained by tourism, advertisement, commercial factories, low gravity experiments/tests, lab space, lease
  • Would inspire future missions

and provide a base of operations

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Introduction

  • Lunar Lava Tubes
    • Drained conduits of underground lava flows
    • 10s-100s m wide
    • 10+ m thick roofs
    • Skylights / Collapsed Entrances
    • Ancient volcanic regions on Moon

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Benefits: Temperature

  • Extreme Temperature Protection
    • -150°C to 150°C
  • Steady temperature within tubes
    • ~20°C
  • Thermal Inertia similar to:
    • Pyramids
    • Arches National Park

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Lunar Diurnal Temperature

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Benefits: Radiation Protection

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Benefits: Habitat

  • “Ready Made” Habitat
    • Less emphasis and price towards material
  • “Dust Free” Environment / Stability
    • Prevents:
      • Lunar dust storm damage
      • Micrometeorite impacts/damage
  • Stability
    • Lava tubes/pits too large to be stable on Earth would be stable on the Moon
    • With strong arch shape, would be stable up to 5000 m.

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Location Scouting

  • Lunar Prospector
    • 1998 mission mapping Moon’s surface
    • ~100 km (60 mile) altitude
    • Neuron Spectrometer Instrument
      • Large quantities of water ice at lunar poles
  • Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory
    • Detected large, lava filled impact basins
    • Measures internal structure of Moon & crust thickness
  • Resource Prospector – early 2020s
    • First extraterrestrial mining expedition
    • Harvest lunar ice
    • Proof of “In Situ Resource Utilization”

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Resource Prospector

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Capable Rovers Exist – Lunar Environment Modifications Needed

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International Gemini Lunar Polar Rover Mission

  • Twin Rovers
  • Explorer + Communicator
  • Polar Region
  • Ground Penetrating Radar
  • Deep Drill
  • MMRTG Power

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Location Scouting: Equator vs Poles

  • Equatorial Settlements
    • More centrally located, more extreme diurnal temperature differentials
    • Free return trajectory if engines do not perform as expected (Apollo 13)
    • Use Equatorial Settlements in early phase for safety
    • Most lava tubes / rilles can be found near equator
    • Aristarchus
  • South Polar Settlements
    • Less centrally located, less extreme temperature differentials
    • Lunar Ice
    • Deep Space Gateway planned for polar location – later phase
  • Extensive search for accessible lava tubes
    • Would eliminate need to create entrance/skylight

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Lunar Lava Tube Locations

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Lava Tubes - LRO

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Location Scouting

  • Marius Hills - Equatorial Settlement
  • Collapsed Lava Tube Segments
  • Average width: ~650m
  • Average depth: ~50m

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Location Scouting

Aristarchus Crater / Oceanus Procellarum

  • Centrally located
  • Equatorial
  • Nearby minerals
  • Extensive rilles/possible LunarLAB expansions

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Location Scouting

Schrodinger Crater

  • Far side of Moon
  • Deep Isolation
  • South Polar

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Constructing Habitation

  • Surface and subsurface
    • Lander, dwellings, hydroponics
  • Stabilize Talus Pile (debris) from skylight
    • Artificial explosions / rockslides prior to entry
    • Deploy rover/crew into pit
  • Inflatable membrane
    • Modular quilted inflatable structure
    • Raw materials delivered later on
    • 3D printing
  • Entrance doors (collapsed tubes, skylights)
  • Support Beams

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Base Design

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Surface and Subsurface Facilities

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Base Design – Surface & Lava Tube

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Energy Supplies

  • Nuclear Power
    • Deregulated – NASA supplied with funds to develop compact nuclear reactor (Kilopower ; 1 – 10 kW)
    • If demonstrated in extraterrestrial setting, freedom to do things previously considered impossible
    • 10+ years of sun-independent, continuous power
      • Ideal for long nights. Could fit anywhere
    • Could expand landing sites to poles (ice present)
    • Challenges: Safety, affordability, reliability
  • Solar Panels (secondary source)
  • Natural light & energy for base
    • Synthetic bioluminescence
    • Natural LED

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Compact Nuclear Fission - Kilopower

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Sustainment

  • Mining
    • Pyroclastic rocks
      • Can convert to water, fuel, construction materials
    • Lunar Ice (South Polar Settlement)
      • Water for fuel production, crew sustainment
  • Hydroponics
    • Food / Oxygen production
    • CO2 processing
    • Key for permanent lunar development
    • Large movement in urban areas producing fresh food using hydroponics / electric lights to grow food in intensive cultivation

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Sustainment

  • Commercial factories
    • Space to expand
  • Scientific tests & experiments
    • Low gravity, low atmosphere
  • Tourism
    • Lunar Observatory (skylights, domes)
    • Hotels (surface and subsurface)
  • Advertisement
    • Product Placement

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Challenges

  • Stability
    • Emergency Bunkers / Supports
      • Higher quality material – more expensive
      • In case of:
        • Tube/pit collapse
        • Oxygen failure / containment breach
        • Seismic activity / meteor bombardment
    • Protection from cave-in/falling rocks with carbon fiber “net”
    • Guniting
  • Location
    • Chosen craters/tubes may not be ideal base location
  • Contract Negotiation
    • Acquiring costs, resources, designing base

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Long-Term Benefits

  • Government
    • Completes NSC/ASRA goals. Makes government look “good” in the eyes of the public. Positive relations between government and contractors.
  • Economic
    • Boosts economy by creating jobs (planning base, getting to base, astronauts/employees building and manning base in future.
  • Commercial
    • Moon tourism, people could pay for experiments to be completed on Moon (similar to ISS), advertisement opportunity

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Credibility

  • All technology exists!
    • 3D printing Modular quilted inflatable housing (Gossamer Spacecraft)
    • Rocket/Lander to get to the Moon
    • Solar technology
    • Batteries
    • Nuclear Power (in development/close to completion)
    • Space suits
  • Clearly credible and feasible within 5-10 years

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Conclusion

  • ASRA Mission: Permanently secure USA as preeminent spacefaring nation
    • Permanent base on Moon would secure this by providing a constant US presence in space
  • Would provide base of operations with:
    • Low gravity (easier to launch)
    • Great opportunity for scientific advancement / experimentation
    • Opportunity to forge new & improved political, economical, and scientific partnerships
    • Future Mars missions could use lessons learned on Moon
  • USA would lead the Moon effort – free world takes lead
    • Bring together countries of the world through collaboration and discovery

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Thank You!

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References – Information/Images

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References – Information/Images

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References – Information/Images

  • Schrunk, D., Sharpe, B., Cooper, B.L. and Thangavelu, M., 2007. The moon: Resources, future development and settlement. Springer Science & Business Media.
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  • Wang, B. (2017). NASA testing small nuclear reactors to power missions to Mars and beyond | NextBigFuture.com. [online] NextBigFuture.com. Available at: https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/12/nasa-testing-ultra-simple-small-nuclear-reactors-that-will-power-missions-to-mars-and-beyond.html [Accessed 5 Dec. 2017].
  • Wendel, J. (2017). Lunar Lava Tubes Could Offer Future Moon Explorers a Safe Haven. [online] Eos - Earth & Space Science News. Available at: https://eos.org/articles/lunar-lava-tubes-could-offer-future-Moon-explorers-a-safe-haven [Accessed 8 Sep. 2017].
  • Zuber, M.T., Smith, D.E., Watkins, M.M., Asmar, S.W., Konopliv, A.S., Lemoine, F.G., Melosh, H.J., Neumann, G.A., Phillips, R.J., Solomon, S.C. and Wieczorek, M.A., 2013. Gravity field of the Moon from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission. Science, 339(6120), pp.668-671.

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References – Images Only