Lunar Subterra: a Self-Integrative Unit with an Automated Drilling System

As humans venture deeper into space, the need for a lunar settlement, housing the first group of settlers, grows steadily. By means of new technologies such as in situ resource utilisation (ISRU) as well as computational design, this goal can be implemented in present years. Providing the first arrivals with an immediate underground habitat safe from radiation and other environmental constraints is of crucial importance to initialise a prolonged mission on the Moon. The project’s proposal revolves around the idea of establishing a base which provides an immediately habitable space with the possibility for future expansion. Advanced construction methods and sustainable practices lay the groundwork for a permanent human presence, predominantly based on ISRU. The narrative outlines a two-phase initiative aimed at the foundation of the Lunar Subterra, followed by an extension of the habitat above ground. The mission initiates upon the arrival of the Lander on the lunar surface, which delivers the initial circular modules designed to respect a common spaceship payload diameter. Subsequently these units are ejected onto the ground where they integrate themselves autonomously into the lunar soil using their core’s integrated drilling mechanism, immediately forming a temporary safe habitat. In the following phase, the unit inflates a Kevlar membrane on its top to create an additional habitable space above the subterranean modules, which provides a habitable space on the surface for up to 6 settlers. Utilising the local regolith soil, a protective shield is 3D-printed above the inflatable membrane. This shield is individually adapted to each module, following the use of a structural analyser software, ensuring efficient material use by outlining stresses and displacement, guaranteeing an optimised printed structure. The interior inflatable membrane dimensions are obtained using an algorithm-based computational design, which optimises the membrane’s size and interior habitable space area, following parameters such as tensile strength and internal pressure. In later stages of the settlement, the core showcases its multifunctionality by acting as a vertical connector (1.5m) between under- and aboveground areas. In this manner the proposed design stands out through its rapid implementation and infinite expansion possibilities through sustainable approaches. Following our collaboration with the PoliSpace Sparc Student Association group, a Virtual Reality (VR) reproduction enabled quick iterative testing of the habitable space with the use of a Meta Quest 2 headset. This not only allowed an evaluation of the environment and its impact on human residents but also eradicated the need for tangible models to conceptualise the idea, enabling rapid user-centred design and implementation in the future of space exploration.