Design Criteria for Lunar Construction Equipment

by John V. Gies,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space IV

Abstract:

It is anticipated that lunar installations will, from the beginning, require moving and assembly of components and the use of lunar regolith as a construction material. The functional requirements for the equipment used to perform these tasks will be similar to terrestrial construction as opposed to that used in construction in weightless conditions. Therefore lunar construction equipment will be analogous to terrestrial equipment of the same function. The lunar environment, remoteness, and limited ability to maintain and repair such equipment will severely constrain the design. This paper attempts to identify the requirements of this equipment, the essential information required concerning the lunar regolith and the lunar environment to properly design that equipment.

Subject Headings: Construction equipment | Space construction | Lunar materials | Construction materials | Regolith | Moon | Aerospace engineering

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