"Almost" all the structures we have designed exist on Earth, but what will the future hold?
One of the most significant hazards humans will face upon reaching the moon is radiation. While concrete and lead are excellent shielding materials, their considerable weight makes transporting them from Earth highly inefficient. Many studies suggest that thick layers of lunar soil (regolith) are effective in protecting against cosmic rays. Thus, our project focuses on designing radiation shielding walls using lunar soil.
Consider the concept of an inflatable tube used for summer water activities. When filled with air, the tube maintains its shape. Applying this principle, we propose bringing sturdy, tear-resistant tubes to the moon, filling them with lunar soil to create radiation shielding walls. These walls will be supported by a structural system designed and manufactured on Earth, which will be assembled on-site. This project emphasizes the physical properties over the chemical properties of materials to ensure feasibility for Earth-based experimentation.
Due to the geological characteristics of the moon, buildings will undergo thermal expansion and contraction, which can put significant stress on materials. The moon's axial tilt is only 1.5 degrees, meaning regions above 88.5 degrees latitude experience continuous daylight or darkness, known as polar day and night. Selecting a high-altitude area allows for sunlight even during the polar night. Therefore, we have chosen the rim of Shackleton Crater, located at 89.70°S, 130.05°E, as the optimal site for this project. This project operates with a budget of approximately 1.24 trillion KRW. The radiation impact on the human body has been assessed using Oltaris. To construct radiation shielding, we have designed modules that combine the scissors system and bagging system. The base camp established by this project is intended for permanent use in future manned lunar missions.