GabyRecently, leading global media reported on the discovery in Months a team of researchers from the University of Trento (Italy) discovered a “secret” cave. The cylindrical 100-meter deep cavity, as wide as a football field, is located in the area known as the Sea of Tranquility.
The discovery of this cave marks a step forward for the colonization of the Moon. In particular, for NASA’s upcoming Artemis mission, whose participants plan to establish the first human settlement on Earth’s natural satellite.
According to scientists, such a cave could become a place for lunar base By protecting the earthly colonists from the harsh environment of Earth’s natural satellite, the cave will provide them with optimal conditions for long-term research.
Plans that are just a few years away from realization.
NASA plans to establish a base camp in the southern region of the Moon by the end of this decade as part of the Artemis program. Astronauts will reach it aboard a SpaceX spacecraft. A key priority of the program is to protect people from cosmic radiation and extreme temperatures.
Journalists Daily Mail They surveyed experts on what the first human base on the Moon might be like and what amenities are planned for its conquerors.
Dr. Daniel Brown, a lecturer in the Department of Astronomy at Nottingham Trent University (UK), emphasized that the atmosphere on the Moon is not suitable for human life. Therefore, it is essential to create a suitable environment there with breathable air, comfortable temperatures, and protection from radiation.
Matthew Cosby, the director of space engineering at the British Goonhilly station, believes that the lunar base will be built in stages, similar to the International Space Station (ISS). According to Mr. Cosby, the first phase should focus on power supply, communication, and the seamless operation of equipment. All of this will help ensure a continuous presence of people and robots on the Moon.
The most essential facilities of the lunar camp will be living quarters, transportation, and systems for generating electricity, such as a large array of solar panels. The base will be equipped with laboratories, sleeping areas, restrooms, and will also have exercise equipment to help astronauts maintain their bone and muscle mass.
On the surface of the Moon, they will move around on special trains that will run on flexible, foldable tracks instead of conventional rails. Spaceports, attractions, and even football fields will be built on Earth’s natural satellite (the fields will be engraved on the lunar soil using lasers).
What will the base be built from?
One of the options for building material for the base is lunar regolith It is special in that it provides good protection against radiation particles, temperatures, and cosmic rocks. According to Mr. Cosby, the regolith could be used for 3D printing structures directly on the Moon.
Meanwhile, Dr. Brown reminded that NASA will avoid transporting large amounts of building materials from Earth, such as bricks and steel modules, as it is very expensive. In his opinion, placing living quarters beneath the surface of the Moon, for example, in caves, could be a practical solution that provides additional shelter from the harsh environment.
Building block made of regolith
With sufficient protection, people inside will be able to remove the spacesuits designed by Prada and wear regular clothes, just like the crews of the ISS. Dr. Brown believes that the base will be built by both humans and robots.
What will astronauts eat and drink?
Since it is expected that residents of the new base will spend significantly more time in space than researchers from the ISS, they will have to grow food right on the Moon. Among the cultivated products will be artificial steaks and edible plants (by the way, the latter can grow on lunar regolith).
“The most important condition for the successful existence of a human community on the Moon is water,” said Michelle Hanlon, a professor of space law at the University of Mississippi (USA). Astronauts will need water for drinking and for growing plants essential for survival.
It should be noted that the leaders of the “Artemis” mission are particularly interested in exploring the southern hemisphere of the Moon due to its rich ice water reserves. This ice can serve as a source of drinking water for Moon researchers, help cool equipment, and be used to obtain hydrogen for fuel and oxygen for breathing.
Meanwhile, Malcolm Macdonald, a space technology engineer at the University of Strathclyde (Scotland), does not expect the Artemis mission plans to be realized by 2028. Although NASA has stated that this could happen as early as September 2026, the scientist believes that the establishment of a base on the Moon should not be expected before the 2030s.
