LOOPS-M Project: Structural and Bioregenerative Systems for a sustainable lunar greenhouse

Paper number

IAC-21,A3,IP,38,x66536

Author

Mr. Riccardo Restivo Alessi, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Giulio Metelli, Italy, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Coauthor

Mr. Luca Furlani, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Alessio Bergami, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Dr. Riccardo Pagliarello, Italy, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Coauthor

Mr. Marco Garegnani, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

Coauthor

Mr. Damiano Salvitti, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. William Picariello, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Tommaso Monello, Italy, University of Rome “La Sapienza”

Coauthor

Mr. Carlo Pirolo, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Ms. Michela Boscia, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Ms. Michela Piras, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Sidhant Kumar, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Tommaso Torrini, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Stefano Martinelli, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Walter Dragonetti, Italy

Coauthor

Ms. Sofia Torlontano, Italy, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna

Coauthor

Mr. Marco Panetti, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Ms. Chiara Pozzi, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Matteo Gargari, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Paolo Marzioli, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Dr. Luca Gugliermetti, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Dr. Luca Nardi, Italy, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Coauthor

Dr. Elena Lampazzi, Italy, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Coauthor

Dr. Eugenio Benvenuto, Italy, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Coauthor

Prof. Fabio Santoni, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Year

2021

Abstract

In the forthcoming years mankind is at long last going to establish a lunar base for long-term presence of human beings on the moon with the Artemis program. Due to the necessity of an autonomous production of nutrients, the presence of a greenhouse will be an optimal solution, and this long-lasting vision will require extreme optimisation of all the processes regarding the settlement and its subsystems. 
The hereby proposed designs and prototypes are part of a long-term student project called LOOPS-M (Lunar Operative Outpost for the Production and Storage of Microgreens). The project was created by students of “Sapienza” University of Rome in partnership with ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) and MarsPlanet for IGLUNA 2021, an interdisciplinary student project coordinated by Space Innovation as part of the ESA\_Lab@ initiative. The main designs consist of a shield for protection from the micrometeorite environment, an autonomous cultivation system called “HORT$^3$ MKII” to lower the astronauts’ workload and a bioconversion system for waste management and recovery, all of which will be represented in a virtual reality environment to allow better insight. 
The micrometeorite shield is based on the stuffed Whipple layout, refined and adapted to the hypervelocity impacts typical on the lunar soil. A prototype 10x10 cm$^2$ will be created and it will undergo tests that recreate the lunar environment such as a thermal vacuum test and irradiation tests, to ensure its functionality in such a critical environment. The autonomous cultivation system is based on the previous version “HORT$^3$“. This unit was developed for  the HORTSPACE project, financed by ASI, during the AMADEE-18 analog mission held in the Oman desert in February 2018, and consisted in a highly efficient hydroponic system for the growth of microgreens. The new version is fully automated to make the cultivation autonomous from seeding to harvesting. To manage the waste a natural degradation process has been chosen. After the cultivation, the main waste consisting of roots, substrate and hypocotyl is introduced to the recovery system where larvae of Black Soldier Fly, use it as a food source. Once in the form of pupae, they could be used as a valuable protein source for crew members. In this work designs and prototypes of the autonomous cultivation unit, the bioconversion system and the micrometeorite shield will be presented, together with their layout in a virtual reality environment.

Abstract document

IAC-21,A3,IP,38,x66536.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-21,A3,IP,38,x66536.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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