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Establishment of a lunar base by coupling lunar in situ resources utilization and bioregenerative life support systems within the oasis network of spaceports

Singh Derewa, Chrishma and Poulet, Lucie and Labriet, Marc and Loureiro, Nuno and Puteaux, Maxime (2014) Establishment of a lunar base by coupling lunar in situ resources utilization and bioregenerative life support systems within the oasis network of spaceports. IAC 2013, Beijing, China.

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Abstract

The creation of a network of spaceports combining In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) and bioregenerative life-support systems would provide an easier and more affordable access to orbital and deep space destinations. In the longer term it would enable the development of extra-terrestrial human habitats in the inner solar system. Following the Operations And Service Infrastructure for Space (OASIS) project, this paper describes in greater details the establishment and development of the second node of the network, on the Moon. Node 2 is based in the Lunar South Pole, where trapped water in craters, almost constant illumination on the craters' rim, and small temperature gradients offer the best environment. Initially unmanned, the lunar outpost is composed of a spaceport to land and launch vehicles safely, a power plant, and an in situ resources processing plant. Water is extracted and sent to node 1 in Low Earth Orbit and is also separated on site into hydrogen and oxygen, which can be used as propellant for various spacecraft and to support habitation and human operations. Other lunar volatiles trapped in the near sub surface include N2, usable for habitat atmosphere generation and for plant growth medium, H2, and other carbon compounds. Additionally ilmenite, a common lunar mineral, can be used to produce titanium, oxygen and manufacture semiconducting devices such as photovoltaic cells. Critical technologies, such as regolith excavators and the Moon shuttle, with their concepts of operations, requirements, functions, and design are detailed. The business model and rationale for node 2 in the frame of the network of spaceports, as well as the law and policy framework are described comprehensively. The OASIS infrastructure with a lunar node 2 will reduce space exploration and development costs by providing in situ derived propellants on demand, and ultimately will fundamentally revolutionize how we travel in the solar system.

Item URL in elib:https://elib.dlr.de/86549/
Document Type:Conference or Workshop Item (Speech)
Title:Establishment of a lunar base by coupling lunar in situ resources utilization and bioregenerative life support systems within the oasis network of spaceports
Authors:
AuthorsInstitution or Email of AuthorsAuthor's ORCID iDORCID Put Code
Singh Derewa, ChrishmaNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory,UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Poulet, LucieDLRUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Labriet, MarcISUUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Loureiro, NunoISUUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Puteaux, MaximeInstitut du Droit de l’Espace et des TélécommunicationsUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Date:28 January 2014
Refereed publication:No
Open Access:Yes
Gold Open Access:No
In SCOPUS:No
In ISI Web of Science:No
Status:Published
Keywords:Moon, lunar base, LSS, network of spaceports, ISRU
Event Title:IAC 2013
Event Location:Beijing, China
Event Type:international Conference
HGF - Research field:Aeronautics, Space and Transport (old)
HGF - Program:Space (old)
HGF - Program Themes:W - no assignment
DLR - Research area:Space
DLR - Program:W - no assignment
DLR - Research theme (Project):W - no assignment (old)
Location: other
Institutes and Institutions:Institute of Space Systems > System Analysis Space Segment
Deposited By: Poulet, Lucie Beatrice
Deposited On:28 Jan 2014 11:48
Last Modified:31 Jul 2019 19:43

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