Having a house on the moon is a dream of many. However, building house on the moon one can be tricky. Luckily, we have some tips that will make the process a little easier.
Solar energy costs more than a nuclear reactor
Getting a house on the moon is not impossible. A luxury space hotel may be launched by 2027. However, the cost of delivering a kilogram of payload to the Moon can reach six-digit numbers.
A small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) could be a cheaper alternative. These are designed to be more practical than the current generation of nuclear plants. They are also safer.
Solar energy is another source of power. It requires expensive equipment, but can help lower power bills. There are a few technologies that can harvest this energy, including photovoltaics and thermal architecture.
The best way to harness solar energy is to collect and store it in a way that is consistent. This could mean using a solar tower, where the sun shines at a fixed angle, or a solar furnace, which uses lenses or mirrors to direct the light to a heat-storing liquid.
In addition, the sun’s rays could be used to power a lunar fission reactor. This might sound like a tall order, but a prototype has been tested and is now certified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Materials available on the moon
Having a home on the Moon may be the next frontier for mankind. But will there be enough resources to support life on the Moon? The answer depends on the energy available and the value that is placed on the materials. A new “Moon race” is underway to prospect for lunar resources.
One material that has received a lot of attention is helium-3. The solar wind has deposited more than one million tons of helium-3 to the Moon. This is a much larger quantity than the amount that exists in the Earth’s atmosphere. The abundance of helium-3 in the lunar regolith is higher than on the Earth. It is also possible that the helium-3 contained in the regolith was not generated by the solar wind.
Another material that has received a lot of attention are rare-earth elements. Some of the rare-earth elements on the Moon are more plentiful than on the Earth, like lithium and tritium. This is due to the fact that the majority of nitrogen on the Moon comes from non-solar sources, such as comets and meteorites.
3D printing could make it easier
Several companies have proposed the use of 3D printing to build a moon colony. However, many of these proposals are still in the early stages.
The European Space Agency has been working on a project to print hollow cell building blocks from simulated lunar regolith. These structures would be used as part of a dome shelter for a lunar base. A hollow closed-cell structure provides a good balance of strength and weight.
The European Space Agency is also working on a project to 3D print large objects. These would include a solar array and an antenna. These devices could be used for communications, solar power, and other components. They could also be used to build infrastructure for human exploration.
A team of researchers at the University of Southern California has developed a method of construction called Contour Crafting. This method allows the building of structures up to three stories. They are expected to have the capability to print buildings out in the next couple of years.