Lunar Base Construction advances wiht Regolith Bag Technology, New Study Reveals
HOUSTON, TX – A new study published in the journal Engineering details a quantitative evaluation of regolith solidification techniques for large-scale lunar construction, offering a promising pathway toward establishing a permanent human presence on the moon. Researchers at Beihang University in Beijing, led by Charun Bao, Daobo Zhang, Qinyu Wang, Yifei Cui, and Peng Feng, propose utilizing regolith bags as a practical and efficient method for building lunar infrastructure.
The research outlines a phased approach to lunar base development, progressing through four distinct stages: Laboratory, Research Station, residence, and Habitat. The initial Laboratory stage will focus on unmanned research, followed by the Research Station accommodating short-term astronaut missions. The Residence stage will function similarly to a space station, providing comprehensive support for long-duration lunar stays. ultimately, the Habitat stage aims to be a fully self-sufficient lunar settlement and a launchpad for deep-space exploration.
The team’s analysis centers on the use of lunar regolith – the loose surface material of the Moon – as the primary building material. Their quantitative evaluation identified regolith bag technology as a viable solution, offering advantages in terms of feasibility and resource utilization. This approach involves filling durable bags with compacted regolith to create structural components, minimizing the need to transport building materials from Earth, a notable cost and logistical hurdle.
The study’s findings provide crucial guidance for material preparation techniques, optimizing the construction process on the lunar surface. The proposed lunar habitat design based on regolith bags serves as a concrete reference point for future research and development efforts. The research specifically addresses the challenges of in situ resource utilization (ISRU), a key component of NASA’s Artemis program and othre international lunar exploration initiatives.
The full text of the open access paper, “Lunar In Situ Large-Scale Construction: Quantitative Evaluation of Regolith Solidification Techniques,” is available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2024.03.004. Follow Engineering on Twitter (https://twitter.com/EngineeringJrnl) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EngineeringJrnl) for further updates.
