Moonbases

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Five locations on the Lunar surface considered by NASA as the location for permanent or semi-permanent moonbases during the period 1961-1972
Five locations on the Lunar surface considered by NASA as the location for permanent or semi-permanent moonbases during the period 1961-1972

In many pre NASA lunar exploration plans a permanent or semi-permanent moonbase located either on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit was considered as the culmination of the exploration of the Moon. From this base astronauts would study the geophysical and near space environment of the Moon for an extended period of time.

During the Apollo period (1961-1972) NASA considered variety of Moonbase designs that could support anywhere from 2 men for a week up to 24 men for a period of 2 years.

Boeing: Modular Lunar Base System (1964)

Modular Lunar Base (1964)
SNAP-8 Reactor configured for use as a lunar surface power-plant

One of the first major studies into a Moonbase was carried out by Boeing. They envisaged a base constructed of pre-fitted habitation modules that would be launched using the Saturn V INT-21 and landed on the lunar surface by remote control. Starting from an initial base capable of supporting three men for three months, the base would be expanded until it was capable of supporting twenty four men for over two years.

Crew transport would be by Apollo derivative spacecraft capable of carrying the entire three man crew to the lunar surface. Power would be supplied in the final stages by a small nuclear reactor such as the SNAP-8.

The primary focus of the base would be geophysical studies designed to follow up and extend the findings of the initial Apollo landings.

Three locations were considered for the base (See map at top of page):

Site A: 5.6ºN by 26.6ºW. This was a location considered as an early Apollo landing site. Approximately 241Km (150Mi) southwest of Copernicus, the site contained various surface features (Domes, small craters, Copernicus ejecta) that were considered of interest to scientists.

Site B: 12.6ºS by 2.9ºW. Located inside the crater Alphonsus, this base would give astronauts access to a region that was suspected to be volcanically active and thus potentially give them a window into the Moons interior.

Site C: 40.9ºS by 11.1ºW. Situated between the craters Tycho and Tycho 'A', a base at this location would have given the astronauts access to one of the Moons more prominent craters.


Goodyear: Stay Time Extension Module (1965)

Stay Time Extension Module (1965)
The lunar shelter mounted on the LM.

In response to NASAs request for a means to extend the time astronauts could stay on the lunar surface the Goodyear Corporation designed an inflatable lunar shelter, called the Stay Time Extension Module, that could be carried folded up against the LM in place of the LRV. It was intended to support two men on the lunar surface for eight days.

In addition to the 'extended H-Mission' profile outline above, with the use of an unmanned LM to carry the shelter while the manned unit carried the LRV an 'extended J-Mission' profile allowing for a 14 day stay on the lunar surface was also possible.


AiResearch Manufacturing: Lunar Shelter (1967)

Lunar Shelter (1967)
LRV Traverses planned for a Dual-Apollo mission to Hypatia Rille I

NASA's post-Apollo plans involved a series of Dual-Apollo launches. The first launch would send an unmanned Lunar Shelter carrying an LSSM to a location of interest on the lunar surface. About six months later an Apollo LM would land near the shelter and it's two or three man crew would spend two weeks on the lunar surface operating out of the Lunar Shelter.

Alphonsus, Hyginus Rille & Hypatia Rille(I) were sites considered for possible Dual-Apollo Missions.

See:

1. Early lunar shelter design and comparison study.

2. Early lunar shelter design and comparison study. Volume 4: System integration and configuration design

3. Early lunar shelter design and comparison study. Volume 6: Supporting studies. Book 1: Structural design and LM/T integration. Book 2: Review of scientific mission requirements. Book 3: Hassle analysis of proposed schedule


Stanford-Ames: Moonlab (1968)

Moonlab (1968)

A year before the first Apollo landings, Stanford-Ames carried out a Moonbase design study. The resulting lunar base was partly inspired by the earlier Boeing design. It was to be constructed over the period 1976-1985 from modules launched using Saturn V INT-21s and modified Apollo CSM/LMs would carry astronauts from Earth to the base and back.

For this reason it was decided that the best location for the base would be inside the crater Grimaldi (Site D: 3.5ºS by 68.0ºW), a portion of the lunar surface that could be reached using standard Apollo spacecraft.

From this location the bases 24 man crew would conduct astronomical observations and lunar geological research.


McDonnell Douglas: Lunar Skylab (1970)

McDonnell Douglas (Seal Beach, CA) did a study on modifying the Skylab as a moon-orbiting observatory and station.

See Astronautix.


North American/Rockwell: Lunar Surface Base (1971)

Lunar Surface Base (1971)

The 1971 North American/Rockwell study was part of the Integrated Manned Programme. It was also the last Moonbase study during the Apollo period and the only one that incorporated Apollo experience into the planning.

Like the previous studies, the base was going to be constructed of modules. In this case the modules would be modified versions of those intended for NASA's post-Skylab space station.

The 12 man base would support not only long range geological traverses of the lunar surface, but visual and radio astronomy.

The designers simulated the base at a number of locations on the lunar surface, but selected as the optimum location Kopff craterinside the borders of Mare Orientale (Site E: 17.5ºS by 89.5ºW ).


North American/Rockwell: Orbiting Lunar Station (1971)

Orbiting Lunar Station. (1971)

To accompany the Lunar Surface Base, North American/Rockwell designed a lunar space station that was to be placed into a lunar polar orbit approximately two years before the surface base was constructed.

It would then conduct site surveys and once the surface base was in operation would act to support the manned surface operations.


University of Houston: Lunar Surface Colony (1972)

Lunar Surface Colony (1972)

After the completion of the Lockheed study in 1971, NASA had the students of the University of Houston look into the possibility of expanding the proposed Surface Base, located in Kopff Crater into the first permanent lunar settlement.


References

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