Life Support System Design for Habitation in Lunar Lava Tubes

In 2009, a large and deep hole, Marius Hills Hole (MMH), was discovered on the Moon with image data acquired by the Selenological and Engineering Explorer (SELENE) lunar probe’s terrain camera. SELENE radar sounder data also indicated a probable presence of lava tubes under the lunar surface in locations close to MMH. Lava tubes can provide shelter for human habitation from harsh environments, such as radiation, micrometeoroid, and the extreme temperatures of the lunar surface. The Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences (JSASS) Lunar Base Working Group has been tasked with devising a conceptual design for a manned lunar outpost inside the lava tubes reached via MMH. System configurations consisting of life support systems with biomass production systems, in situ resource utilization, and solar or nuclear power plants were designed and evaluated based on their feasibility to support a 100-person colony on the Moon over multiple decades. In accordance with the JSASS Space Exploration Roadmap guidelines, the author of this paper proposed a phased implementation scenario for building a lunar outpost inside lava tubes with the number of people living in it eventually increasing to 100 people with a food self-efficiency rate of 100 % by the 2050s.