lunar outpost sustaining human space exploration by utilizing in-situ resources with a focus on propellant production

Paper number

IAC-18,A5,1,5,x46282

Author

Mr. Paolo Guardabasso, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Giovanni Artuso, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Gabriele Bigi, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Antoine Carré, France, SUPAERO- Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace

Coauthor

Mr. Augustin Colonna Walewski, France, Politecnico di Torino - Thales Alenia Space Italia - ISAE Supaero Toulouse

Coauthor

Mr. Matteo Crema, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Matteo Dragoni, Italy, Politecnico di Torino - Thales Alenia Space Italia - ISAE Supaero Toulouse

Coauthor

Mr. David Gaudin, France, ISAE - Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace

Coauthor

Mr. Nicholas Gollins, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Giuseppe Governale, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Karim Hacene Lhadj, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Luca Kiewiet, The Netherlands, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Daniel Luque Arriero, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Daniel Martínez Díez, France, ISAE-Supaero University of Toulouse

Coauthor

Mr. Thibault Magnin, France, ISAE-Supaero University of Toulouse

Coauthor

Ms. Laura Miquel Parra, Spain, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Ms. Roberta Pascale, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Fabio Pino, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Daniel Robson, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Maximilian Scherer, United Kingdom, Politecnico di Torino - Thales Alenia Space Italia - ISAE Supaero Toulouse

Coauthor

Mr. Pietro Maria Vernicari, Italy, Politecnico di Torino

Coauthor

Mr. Joshua Wilde, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. William Zhang, France, ISAE - Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace

Coauthor

Mr. Corentin Buti, France, ISAE - Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace

Coauthor

Mrs. Pauline Delande, France, ISAE - Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace

Coauthor

Mr. Guillaume du Roy, Belgium, ISAE-Supaero University of Toulouse

Coauthor

Ms. Noelia Fariñas Álvarez, Spain, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Cristian Hipwell, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Callum Huggins, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Jack Kemp, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Ms. Gaargi Jain, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Tse Lin, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Maxime MAILY, France, ISAE-Supaero University of Toulouse

Coauthor

Ms. Charlotte Morrison, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Matthew Pain, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Aaron Shaw, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Daniel Tanner, United Kingdom, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Ms. Veronica Trivino Herrero, Spain, University of Leicester

Coauthor

Mr. Pierrick Vivares, France, SUPAERO- Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace

Year

2018

Abstract

Space exploration has recently witnessed a surge of renewed interest, in particular, the concept of a human mission to the Moon is increasingly being discussed by national agencies and private enterprises alike. A lunar base is commonly regarded as a good first step for humanity’s expansion beyond Earth.

This paper proposes a pre-phase A study about infrastructure on the Moon surface with the capability of sustaining future human space exploration. The outpost will be relying on In-Situ Resources Utilization (ISRU) and on the support of the orbiting Deep Space Gateway (DSG), in line with the current ISECG exploration roadmap. In this context, precursor robotic missions, such as the concept proposed in the ESA-led Heracles study, and related activities on the Moon surface are considered as sources of insight and technology validation. The incremental steps necessary for setting up the Lunar outpost are discussed and analysed, both for surface and on-orbit missions. A feasibility and sustainability study is carried out for a propellant production plant, the primary purpose of which is to provide the capability of refuelling space vehicles. 
The design of the overall mission revolves around four main building blocks, which are analysed in detail: crew habitats, a large pressurized crew rover, ISRU facilities and a lunar spaceport.
The overall mission scenario has been derived from a set of trade-off analyses that have been performed to choose the mission architecture and operations that satisfy the stakeholder expectations: the most important features of these analyses and their results are described within the paper.
Regarding the timeframe, the analysed mission is expected to take place after robotic precursor expeditions, which are scheduled to launch in the 2020s. The first manned mission shall follow before 2030 with the purpose of setting up the propellant production facility, which shall be operational by 2035.

The study is carried out by the 10th edition of the Specializing Master programme in SpacE Exploration and Development Systems (SEEDS) of 2017/18 at Politecnico di Torino (Italy). This work was performed in cooperation with students from ISAE-Supaero (France) and University of Leicester (UK). The project is supported by Thales Alenia Space Italy, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency.

Abstract document

IAC-18,A5,1,5,x46282.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-18,A5,1,5,x46282.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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