Justin Kang

What is an appropriate framework and timeline for a sustainable lunar base that is cost-conscious, ensures mission success, and holds 100 researchers to survive and study the Moon?

Started July 6, 2022

Abstract or project description

NASA’s lunar exploration program, the Artemis program, set a goal to send humans to the moon in 2024, which would be the first time in 52 years a human set foot on another celestial body. A return to the moon would lead mankind into a new age where humans spread influence to the Moon and beyond. The benefits for a lunar base are immense, some of which include technological innovation for application on Earth, economic gain, and most importantly, laying a foundation for future endeavors in space exploration by serving as a hub for further expansion.\nHumanity is capable of transporting people to the moon but once that is achieved, it is unclear how to sustain them. NASA has, with the private sector, laid out in detail the intricacies of the former, such as the human transportation technology that will be used. These include the NASA SLS, Orion Spacecraft, and SpaceX HLS. Other parts are less clear, such as nutritious diet plans that include minerals and vitamins, how to form a breathable gaseous atmosphere, and the balance between transporting resources from Earth and self-sustenance. Within this problem lies complex dilemmas regarding sources for resources such as water or nitrogen, or problems such as selecting a few out of a significant variety of propulsion methods for space travel or orbital technology. \n\nMy aim in this project is to recommend multiple viable solutions to these problems, and provide timelines or diagrams describing a plan coinciding with the Artemis missions. Multiple sources published online from organizations directly involved in the Artemis project, like NASA and SpaceX, will be the focal point to derive information for this project, and other outlets such as primary research sources or expert opinions will be jointly utilized. The output of this project will be a research paper describing the timeline and technologies used, as well as an accompanying schematic of the lunar base to be constructed.