New Frontiers

Topics Space Architecture

This concept for a lunar habitat brings a human-centered approach to space architecture—designing healthy spaces for living and working within the demanding conditions of outer space.

Research Facts

Collaborators Lockheed Martin Space

Research Facts

Collaborators Lockheed Martin Space

A vision for lunar architecture

New Frontiers brings together technologies that promote health and wellness to create a settlement on the surface of the Moon—one that will enable scientists and engineers to explore and experiment with new technology. The project was developed through a design research collaboration between SOM and Lockheed Martin Space, a division that is focused on developing technologies for space exploration and human space flight. The habitat modules are designed as systems-integrated structures, each intended to accommodate four crew members for missions lasting between 60 and 120 days.

A human-centered approach

The two-story habitats are composed of a rigid composite structure with a protective shell system capable of withstanding the harsh lunar environment. Inside, the design takes all our knowledge of wellness on Earth into space, to create a setting tailored to health and ergonomics. Green walls and natural looking, yet flame-resistent materials from Earth will cover many of the interior surfaces, and the crew quarters at the edges will be customizable to make the spaces feel like home. Projections in each private room can mimic settings from Earth, and circadian lighting will help replicate our 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. The center of each floor will be reconfigurable to accommodate a range of uses, including work, exercise, and dining.

Lower floor. © SOM | Revenant

The team performed topology optimization analysis to determine the best distribution of material for the structural design of the pressure vessel. © SOM

The floor structure is designed as a composite tube with a metal sleeve that connects directly to the pressure vessel. © SOM

Integrating multiple functions

The team designed the habitats to be efficient and easily adaptable. Life support systems and workstations are co-located with exercise, medical, and hygienic equipment on the ground floor, and the crew quarters on the second level can be configured as both private and communal settings. This flexibility is crucial not only to the health and wellness of the crew, but also to optimize the 100 cubic meters of occupiable space available within the structure. Walls slide to switch between privacy and openness, and the floors double as storage space with supplies and retractable furniture. Electrical and lighting systems are all integrated between each compartment in the floors and ceilings to make the most of the limited space.

Efficiency in materials

To optimize construction and delivery, the habitat is designed to meet the strict mass and volume constraints for spaceflight. The modules will need to be fully assembled on Earth and fit within specific mass limitations, topping out at 15 metric tons. The flexibility in the layout of the interior spaces and a minimalistic structure will help to meet this requirement. The proposed design uses carbon fiber as the primary structural material, as it is lighter than aluminum, with a much higher tensile strength. Two points of entry capable of accommodating airlocks to adjacent modules or to the lunar surface will allow the settlement to grow in the future—enabling the creation of a new community on the Moon for long-term human exploration.