FOIA: A Lunar Construction Shack Vehicle - Theory

LUNAR_CONSTRUCTION_SH ACK_VEHICLE.pdf
A Lunar Construction Shack Vehicle - Theory
The report A Lunar Construction Shack Vehicle is a report created by University of Texas aerospace students detailing a theoretical craft for initial lunar construction projects.
Document date: 1988-11-11
Department: Dept. Aerospace Engineering, Univ. of Texas
Author: Dr. Wallace T. Fowler, et al
Document type: report
pages: 145

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Archivist's Notes: Good quality document. Unclassified.

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Spacecraft Mission Design Class
The University of Texas at Austin
Department of Aerospace Engineering
under the direction of
Dr. Wallace T. Fowler
Spring 1988

Introduction:
A lunar construction shack vehicle is a critical component in most of
the plans put forward for the construction of a permanent base on the
moon. The Selene Engineering Company (SEC) has developed a concept for this vehicle which we feel is both innovative and practical. This design
makes use of the most advanced technology available to meet the design
goals for a safe, versatile and durable habitat that will serve as a starting
point for the initial phase of the construction of a permanent lunar base.

This document outlines SEC's proposed design for a lander vehicle
which will be fully self-sufficient and will provide for all necessary life
support, including consumables and radiation protection, needed by the
construction crew until they can complete the assembly of a more
permanent habitat. Since it is highly likely that it will take more than one
crew to complete the construction of a permanent lunar base, our design
has placed an emphasis on systems which can be easily maintained and
resupplied and which will take a minimum of start up preparation by
succeeding crews.
In order to minimize the mass transported to the lunar surface, none
of the lander's components will be discarded. The design of components
not needed for the the continuing operation of the habitat will include an
alternate use as structural parts or tools.
With the assistance of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and the Universities Space Research Association
(USRA) we feel we have developed a safe, reliable and versatile design for
the lunar lander. SEC's lunar construction shack can function as a practical
stepping stone toward a permanent lunar base.

Lander Design Requirements:

•Vehicle must provide living quarters on the moon for a crew of
eight for three weeks.
•Vehicle must provide radiation shielding in the case of a solar
flare.
•Any vehicle portion which will not be returned to lunar orbit
with the crew must be usable as an integral part of the
Moonbase.
•The vehicle must be able to be completely refitted with a
resupply of consumables.


Design Assumptions:

•Earthport is fully operational and capable of assembling the
lander in orbit.
•A vehicle capable of transporting the lander and crew from
Earth orbit to lunar orbit exists and is known to be reliable
•The moonbase site has been selected and mapped
•All materials necessary for the construction of the Moonbase
have been delivered to the site.
•Technology Baseline will be assumed to be 2000.
•A crew transportation vehicle capable of ferrying 8 crew
members from lunar orbit to the Moonbase site and back again
is available.

PDF page 10 to 80:
Charts / Cost / Technical detail/ Construction Requirements / Design Options

PDF page 81 to 90 is interesting and useful for anyone who is interested in building an Underground Shelter. Very useful information and graphics.


Summary
In summary, the Selene Engineering Company will deliver a CAD model
and a physical model of the final design. This design will incorporate the most advanced technology to produce a safe and reliable shack design. We will provide a floor plan of the vehicle and all accompanying documentation.

This document is about a proposed temporary shelter to provide living quarters for people on the Moon while a permanent Lunar base is being built. It is considered a vehicle because it will be assembled in low Earth orbit and flown to and land on the Moon. It will be able to hold supplies for up to three weeks and can be refilled for another crew. All materials will be used later in the construction of the permanent base.

All the essentials are covers for providing everything needed to have a livable environment on the Moon, including connecting to a nuclear power generator for electricity. One of the major hurdles of a lunar base will be to have enough radiation shielding for an extended stay, and protection against solar flairs. Instead of having thick heavy shielding, which will obviously be difficult to bring, the plan was to use the lunar soil, or regolith, to partially bury the construction shack. The estimated thickness needed for adequate shielding is 2.4 meters.



Even though this document is dated, it still covers some of the challenges that will have to be overcome in any attempt at a permanent settlement on the Moon.

Related FOIA documents:
FOIA: NASA’s Global Exploration Strategy and Lunar Architecture
FOIA: Lunar Base Heat Pump – Design

reply to post by AboveTopSecret.com

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why cant they use the vehicle thats allready up there?? what a waste of tax payers money..