Lunar outpost

Abstract

When NASA astronauts return to the Moon in 2020, the first missions will be no longer than seven days. To sustain extended-duration lunar surface missions, a lunar infrastructure must be capable of supporting the basic functions of surface operations such as construction and maintenance procedures, surface transportation, crew support activities, and other support operations such as communication and navigation. This chapter describes the facilities and equipment that will constitute the lunar outpost and discusses the design details of the primary elements required to establish a permanent human settlement on the Moon.