Could these big expandable habitats help humanity settle the moon and Mars?

[Admin]

Max Space is building habitat modules that could expand to enormous sizes in space, giving humanity plenty of room to live in orbit as well as on the moon and Mars.

Could these big expandable habitats help humanity settle the moon and Mars? : Read more

 

[Meteoric Marmot]

I notice that the word "radiation" is not used anywhere in the article. A safe space habitat requires more than just an air-filled space. Without shielding, it is deadly to spend too much time there.

 

[24launch]

I notice that the word "radiation" is not used anywhere in the article. A safe space habitat requires more than just an air-filled space. Without shielding, it is deadly to spend too much time there.

Shielding for long-term habitation on orbit is a tough one, no doubt, but Kemmer does mention toward the end of the article:

"My dream is to have a city on the moon before I die," Kemmer said. "So I look at this like, this is going to be the habitat, the structures, that are going to go inside the lava tubes buried under the [lunar] surface."

Besides burying strucutures in lunar regolith to provide the necessary shielding there of course have been a lot of discussions and speculation about utilizing sub-surface lava tubes - on Mars of course as well.

Exciting times!

 

[Catastrophe]

building habitat modules that could expand to enormous sizes

I sometimes wonder, when seeing such statements referring to enormous sizes, whether the posters have thought how much energy/fuel is needed to get the components on site. Similarly, when it is glibly suggested that you just build a factory in space to make these structures using "local" raw materials, has it been considered how much fuel is needed to get the "bits" there? Some examples could need more fuel than the total payload. Of course, there are suggestions of solar sails, but are these in any way even close to being practical in such cases?

Cat

 

[Questioner]

I would worry about micrometeorites. I would sleep with my suit helmet nearby and some tough duct tape for quick repairs.
Make sure the pressure alarm is working.
With that & radiation I would want to have it in a rock shielded hole.
Abrasive moon glass shards don't help.

 

[RAA]

I notice that the word "radiation" is not used anywhere in the article. A safe space habitat requires more than just an air-filled space. Without shielding, it is deadly to spend too much time there.

"It has started manufacturing the flight vehicle, which will not feature life-support systems BUT WILL HAVE THE SAME SHIELDING and strength as human-rated versions." Kemmer referring to the flight vehicle.

It appears that appropriate "shielding' may well be included in the first launch flight vehicle.

 

[Questioner]

Per micrometeorites,
While it's possible one could hear where a pin-hole leak was some kind of visual aid to find it would help. Some kind of colored nontoxic dust or vapor would help to zero in on its location.
A distributed set of puffs around the periphery might work best.

I still remember those 3 cosmonauts who died on re-entry due to a tiny leak that potentially could have been plugged with almost anything.
I do wonder if they knew the location of the leak.

 

[HobartStinsonian]

The plan for living on the moon is to what? Mine lunar regolith for the trace amount of water? Then discard the dry waste dirt. Strip mine the moon? When they’ve completely used up all the wet regolith, then move away and strip mine other land on the moon? How long will that last? Is that what NASA calls “sustainable”??