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João Montenegro

Rosas Moon Base

A lunar base built from repurposed SpaceX Starships

Year
2021
Field
Aerospace
Role
Team Lunar, ISU Space Studies Program 2021
With
International Space University
Rosas Moon Base: A lunar base built from repurposed SpaceX Starships

The next step forward in space exploration is returning humans to the Moon and establishing a permanent human presence.

Sending humans to the Moon means facing an environment that is hard on both human performance and human health.

Current state-of-the-art technologies, like the Artemis program and the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS), are the inspiration for the Rosas mission, and keep it feasible.

"The Moon is the first milestone on the road to the stars"

Arthur C. Clarke
Landing site chosen for the Rosas Moon Base. Shackelton Crater 3d model from LROC, NASA; rendered in blender.
Landing site chosen for the Rosas Moon Base. Shackelton Crater 3d model from LROC, NASA; rendered in blender.

The pains of building a lunar base

1973: The Saturn V and the explored Saturn Workshop, best known as Skylab:

The Saturn V upper stage on the left, and Skylab on the right; with astronaut for scale. Modeled in Sketchup, rendered in Blender.
The Saturn V upper stage on the left, and Skylab on the right; with astronaut for scale. Modeled in Sketchup, rendered in Blender.

1992: STS-Lab Space station Concept (Ware and Culbertson, 1992):

The Space Shuttle; modeled in Sketchup, rendered in Blender.
The Space Shuttle; modeled in Sketchup, rendered in Blender.
The Enterprise Shuttle Space Station; NASA
The Enterprise Shuttle Space Station; NASA

Today: SpaceX Lunar Starship

The upcoming, largest, piece of infrastructure in history that can land on the Moon.

From left to right: Space Launch System Block II; Lunar Starship (landed); Lunar starship mounted on top of Superheavy
From left to right: Space Launch System Block II; Lunar Starship (landed); Lunar starship mounted on top of Superheavy

Concept generation for the base design

Before proceeding with the engineering design, a series of concept proposals were explored.

With this rapid sketching of the baseline mission it was possible to arrive at a stronger concept faster.

The two main Starship variants; Left: HLS Starship; Right: Orbital/Cargo Starship
The two main Starship variants; Left: HLS Starship; Right: Orbital/Cargo Starship
Study of a potential third variant: Lunar cargo Starship.
Study of a potential third variant: Lunar cargo Starship.
Lunar Cargo Starship deploying a Moon base module.
Lunar Cargo Starship deploying a Moon base module.

Horizontal hypothesis base concept

In order to maximize the utility of the volume, the selected orientation was a difficult one: by tipping the whole vehicle on the side, hazards to the crew could be diminished and the base could be further expanded.

However, how do you tip a 50-metre-high Starship?

Concept of harness system + cantilever to tip Starship sideways in the surface of the Moon..
Concept of harness system + cantilever to tip Starship sideways in the surface of the Moon..
Quick concept sketch of an expanded Moon Base built from repurposed HLS Starships.
Quick concept sketch of an expanded Moon Base built from repurposed HLS Starships.

The baseline Concept proposal

In order to assure all of the requirements for habitability, the design needed to include flooring, wall mounts, stairways, entrance hatches and airlocks.

Surrounding the base, a 3 m thick regolith layer would be deposited.

Starship-derived Moon Base interior volume study.
Starship-derived Moon Base interior volume study.

The transfer mission

But how do you get a starship to the Moon? And, most importantly, how do you create a construction site on the Moon?

For that we need to consider a concept of operations derived from the state-of-the-art knowledge of how SpaceX Starships travel to the Moon.

Two mission Starships were needed (besides the fuelling tankers), across two mission phases:

Phase 1 - Workshop vehicle launch

  • SS Rosas transfer mission will launch the workshop vehicle, which lands on the Moon without a crew.

Phase 2 - Crew vehicle launch

  • SS 501 transfer mission will launch the return starship with the crew that will continue the mission inside the habitat workshop (SS Rosas) already on the site.
Diagram of the Rosas phase 1 transfer: cislunar insertion, four refuels and landing
Diagram of the Rosas phase 2 transfer: the crew vehicle, with eight refuels for the return

The MOROCAS: Modular robotic construction autonomous system

A modular, remotely operated, team of robots capable of performing construction tasks.

This system was designed in order to reduce the amount of EVA time necessary.

Modeling Study of MOROCAS variants.
Modeling Study of MOROCAS variants.

The construction timeline

1. Horizontalization: After landing both starships, the base Starship (the future Rosas Base) is horizontalized with the help of the MOROCAS system.

The starship tipping sequence using Hinges, anchors, cables, and a scissor lift.
The starship tipping sequence using Hinges, anchors, cables, and a scissor lift.

2. Volume connection: after the Starship is horizontalized, the construction crew moves in and starts preparing the fuel tank transformation.

Sequence of adapting the tanks into interconnected habitable volumes.
Sequence of adapting the tanks into interconnected habitable volumes.

3. Interior installation: Happening after the whole structure is stable and pressurized. The crew brings a series of modular tiles to assemble the interior divisions of Rosas Base.

Projection of starship-derived Moon Base's interiors.
Projection of starship-derived Moon Base's interiors.

4. Regolith coverage: The lunar environment is a dangerous place. Micrometeoroids and radiation can be deadly to the whole crew and mission. This way a layer of regolith is deposited by the MOROCAS over several weeks to months.

Fully covered Starship-derived Moon Base.
Fully covered Starship-derived Moon Base.
Sequence of regolith layer deposition through a MOROCAS fleet.
Sequence of regolith layer deposition through a MOROCAS fleet.

A window to our Home

Deployment of the OSCAR cupola from the interior of the base.
Deployment of the OSCAR cupola from the interior of the base.

On the side of the Starship, one of the airlocks is transformed into a cupola-style expandable volume. This enables a space for the astronauts to look at the exterior of the base, and, most importantly, to gaze at our Earth.

The OSCAR cupola is retractable. This way, the interior of the base can stay under the protecting regolith, while the viewing area can stay outside for short-duration observations of the Lunar vista, and of Earth.

Fully deployed OSCAR cupola with the radiation shields open. The base was designed so that the cupola is constantly pointing Earthward.
Fully deployed OSCAR cupola with the radiation shields open. The base was designed so that the cupola is constantly pointing Earthward.
Model of Rosas Base main entrance, designed on top of the HLS main airlock and compatible with both MOROCAS and astronauts..
Model of Rosas Base main entrance, designed on top of the HLS main airlock and compatible with both MOROCAS and astronauts..
Astronauts and MOROCAS driller variant approaching a nearby Moon boulder.
Astronauts and MOROCAS driller variant approaching a nearby Moon boulder.
Overview of the first stage of the mission. Before covering the structure with regolith.
Overview of the first stage of the mission. Before covering the structure with regolith.
A lone MOROCAS pressurized crew transport venturing in the lunar landscape.
A lone MOROCAS pressurized crew transport venturing in the lunar landscape.
Rosas Base as a vantage point for Geology and science at the lunar surface. Astronauts and MOROCAS inspecting nearby Moon boulder.
Rosas Base as a vantage point for Geology and science at the lunar surface. Astronauts and MOROCAS inspecting nearby Moon boulder.
View from the main airlock of Rosas Base.
View from the main airlock of Rosas Base.
De-tanking in progress.
De-tanking in progress.
MOROCAS Plower variants moving larger rocks away from the base.
MOROCAS Plower variants moving larger rocks away from the base.

Video

The team

All ISU SSP21 participants from Team Lunar who took part in the project.

Participants

Chairs

Teaching associate

Xiaochen Zhang

A special thank you

Mission logo for the Rosas Base Assembly. Designed in honor of Oscar Federico Rosas Castillo, SSP21 Strasbourg's participant liaison, which tragically passed away during the program.
Mission logo for the Rosas Base Assembly. Designed in honor of Oscar Federico Rosas Castillo, SSP21 Strasbourg's participant liaison, which tragically passed away during the program.

In loving memory of Oscar Federico Rosas Castillo – an adventurous, spirited soul who brought us together and made our world a better place. We are better for having known you. May your light shine bright upon us until we see you on the other side of the stars. Ad Astra.

Acknowledgements

ISU and Team Project Solutions for Construction of a Lunar Base wish to express their sincere appreciation to Lockheed Martin Corporation for its sponsorship of this project.

We would also like to thank the chairs and teaching assistants for their amazing support during this team project. They have been the key factor in supporting this team during the process and therefore the success of this lunar team report.

Lastly, we would like to thank the International Space University and SSP21 staff for making this year’s program happen, during the COVID-19 period and supporting the team in the best way possible.

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