MODULAR LUNAR VILLAGE CONCEPT DESIGN FOR LONG-TERM HABITATION LOCATED AT SHACKLETON CRATER
- Paper ID
99373
- author
- company
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University
- country
China
- year
2025
- abstract
This paper presents a conceptual design for a sustainable, long-term lunar habitat, termed the "Lunar Oasis," situated within Shackleton Crater at the Moon’s south pole. The project aims to establish a self-sufficient lunar village that integrates resource utilization, modular architecture, and biophilic design principles to address the challenges of extreme lunar environments while fostering human well-being. The site selection leverages the crater’s unique geography: its sunlit rim offers permanent solar energy access, while its permanently shadowed interior harbors water ice deposits critical for life support and fuel production. The village is divided into three functional zones—the rim-based residential cluster, the transitional mid-slope zone (housing greenhouses, laboratories, and communal spaces), and the shadowed resource extraction area—connected through a modular network optimized for scalability and resilience.The development follows a three-phase timeline. Phase 1 (Preparation) initiates robotic precursor missions to construct infrastructure, including landing pads, roads, and preliminary water extraction systems. Phase 2 (Transport and Installation) deploys prefabricated modular units, including inflatable habitats with auxetic metamaterials that expand upon deployment to maximize interior space. These modules are radially arranged around a central greenhouse, flanked by solar arrays and maintenance hubs to minimize energy loss and streamline operations. The design emphasizes biophilia, integrating vegetation and algae colonies within structural gaps of auxetic frameworks to enhance oxygen regeneration, waste recycling, and psychological comfort. Phase 3 (Ecosystem Maturation) focuses on in-situ resource utilization: robots employ regolith-based 3D printing to encase modules in protective shells against radiation and micrometeoroids, while closed-loop systems stabilize air, water, and food production.The Lunar Oasis serves as a testbed for advanced technologies, including radiation shielding, closed ecological systems, and autonomous construction methods, with implications for future deep-space exploration. By merging modular adaptability, ecological integration, and phased scalability, this framework proposes a blueprint for sustainable extraterrestrial habitation, transforming the Moon’s "silent desert" into a thriving human-centered ecosystem. The project underscores architecture’s role in mediating extreme environments, prioritizing not only survival but also the socio-psychological resilience required for long-term off-world colonization.