Prototype Lunar Base Construction Using Indigenous Materials
A lunar base must be designed to withstand harsh lunar conditions, which include severe internal pressure loads and a high radiation level. Yet to provide for economical and rapid future...
Cylindrical Fabric-Confined Soil Structures
Using the local soil as a structural material can greatly reduce the transport requirements for constructing Lunar and Martian surface structures. A fabric-soil structural concept which...
A Horizontal Inflatable Habitat for SEI
The inflatable habitat described in this paper is a horizontally-oriented cylindrical pneumatic structure. It is part of NASA's ongoing effort to study inflatables as alternative habitats...
Inflatable Structures of Non-Circular Cross Section
This paper discusses six approaches to achieve an inflatable structure of non-circular cross section for use in lunar base development. Other papers have examined potential multiple uses...
Hedratecture in Severe Climates
There are still vast areas of the world that are almost untouched by human activity. There is need to make access to these regions with special new structures and there is also a need...
Inflation Concept Development for Inflatable Lunar Structures
Inflatable structures require mechanical equipment to initiate and maintain inflation. Several inflatable structural shapes and forms have been proposed by a number of different authors....
Lunar Habitats?Places for People
As part of President George Bush's Space Exploration Initiative, lunar bases or habitats are envisioned for long-term habitation by humans. This paper presents factors that should be considered...
The Design of a Permanent Lunar Research Station
The advancement of the United States efforts in space exploration and research requires the establishment of a permanent manned lunar research station. This paper explores the possible...
Evaluating Lunar Base Conceptual Designs
A large number of competing lunar base conceptual designs have been proposed in recent years. The range of assumptions and technologies used in these designs makes comparison difficult....
Lunar Base Requirements for Human Habitability
This paper presents some of the requirements for lunar surface habitation. Emphasis is placed on human factor and environment-behavior requirements that impact on habitability for medium-duration...
Applying Lessons from Extreme Environments to Solve Problems on Earth and in Space
Extreme environments on Earth and in space test human abilities to adapt, survive and undertake difficult and often dangerous tasks. Hardships and challenges posed by such environments...
Design and Technology Assessment of Three Lunar Habitat Concepts
Three manned lunar habitat concepts, designed to support a crew of four for 28-30 days, are presented. Two concepts are based on Space Station Freedom structural elements and the third...
The Feasbility of Using Solar Optics for Lunar Base Lighting
This paper is a summary of research conducted to establish the feasibility of using solar optics in reduced gravity environments, particularly a lunar base. The research was funded by...
Tensile-Integrity Structural Concepts for the Lunar Surface
This paper suggests the use of tension cable structures of a particular type, Tensegrity structures, for a lunar base. Tensegric shells can be a system of bars and cable net. The shell...
Tripod Crane Concept for Lunar Surface Construction
A construction scheme using three integrated cranes is proposed. Mikulas proposed a lunar crane concept which introduces a set of three cables in order to stabilize the payload. This paper...
Cables and Cranes for a Flexible Lunar Transportation System
This paper will discuss the results of preliminary research on a cable-based transportation system for the moon. The paper will address the principles of cableway design and will present...
Analysis of Space Crane Articulated-Truss Joints
Three articulated-truss joint concepts for the space crane are studied to evaluate their static structural performance over a range of geometric design parameters. Emphasis is placed on...
Performance-Based Evaluation of Lunar Base Construction Equipment and Methods
Existing literature regarding the selection of lunar base construction equipment and methods is heavily dependent upon qualitative measures for evaluation of equipment concepts. Selection...
Enhancing Decision Analysis Techniques for Lunar Base Construction Research
The usefulness of decision analysis concepts applied to lunar base construction research has been demonstrated [Boles 1990]. During the referenced work the authors realized that further...
The Challenge of Constraining Mass for Planetary Construction
This paper discusses the issue of minimizing the mass required to be delivered from earth for planetary construction. New machinery, methods and concepts are discussed....
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