Structures for a Lunar Base

by M. Daniel Vanderbilt, Colorado State Univ, United States,
Marvin E. Criswell, Colorado State Univ, United States,
Willy Z. Sadeh, Colorado State Univ, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space

Abstract:

Constructed facilities will play the key role in the establishment of a lunar base. Such a base is essential in the development of the space frontier and the expansion of humans into space. The most important missions of a lunar base are: (1) advancement of scientific knowledge; (2) exploration and use of lunar resources; (3) development of technologies to support space infrastructures; (4) testbed for space biospheres; and (5) spaceport for launching of spacecraft. For the civil engineer, the lunar base is a challenging extension of past projects providing facilities under extreme environmental conditions. Construction steps, design to resist damage, and later expansion of the base using indigenous lunar materials are briefly examined.

Subject Headings: Space colonies | Space exploration | Space construction | Lunar materials | Space structures | Space frames | Construction materials

Services: Buy this book/Buy this article

 

Return to search