Environmental Assessment of Lunar Habitats

Plans for human space flights for extensive lunar exploration and sustained human presence are well underway with the commencement of the Artemis program. A critical aspect of this endeavor is evaluating support infrastructures, particularly human habitats, utilizing in-situ materials on the lunar surface to pioneer similar approaches for future Mars missions. This work focuses on the innovative use of Construction 3D Printing (C3DP) with Lunar regolith to construct habitat structures, emphasizing the interplay between building envelopes and environmental quality in lunar habitats. By assessing thermo-environmental conditions within habitats built using In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)-based construction methods, this research seeks to dive deeper into understanding the requirements for sustainable environmental systems in the habitats. Using sulfur as a binder with Lunar regolith as a waterless printable concrete, this study aims to evaluate the thermal attributes of the habitat and how it may affect crew occupancy. During this project, simulations of habitat envelopes built using indigenous materials were carried out based on requirements set by the existing Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) standards. Next, using the lunar weather data, an analytical model is developed to evaluate heat transfer behavior across different envelope configurations in conceptual lunar habitat designs to calculate the heating and cooling loads. This research promises an enhanced understanding of optimum environmental quality for equipment sizing and heating-cooling system selection. Thus, it will provide crucial insights into ECLSS design requirements for Lunar surface habitats, supporting sustainable operations and aligning with the strategic vision of extending continuous human presence for long-term exploration.