Lunar habitats: A brief overview of issues and concepts

Abstract

A summary of the lunar environment is provided as background to the issues that await resolution by structural engineers who will design habitats for long-term stays on the Moon, initially by pioneering astronauts, and eventually by people who will call the Moon their home. Key environmental concerns are the radiation and micrometeoroid environment, the hard vacuum, and the lack of atmosphere. The lunar dust poses a carcinogenic hazard, as well as an existential threat to engineered systems. Structures need to be designed with an eye to the psychological wellbeing of the inhabitants. This review provides an introduction into some of these aspects of lunar habitat design, and is based on the 2018 book by the author.