The MIT Media Lab has unveiled a self-assembling habitat for the Moon. Designboom magazine writes about this on May 26.
Momo, a joint project between MIT AeroAstro’s architecture department and the MIT Media Lab, aims to create a self-assembling lunar habitat.
The habitat design had two main objectives: first, to maximize the efficiency of compact packaging of the habitat in the Starship HLS cargo hold and, second, to ensure modularity.
Each module consists of an aluminum frame and a high-density polyethylene membrane for radiation protection. These modules contain storage space and can be configured according to their purpose: serving as an airlock, window, photovoltaic panel, desk or training module.
They can also be replaced if they break down, allowing astronauts to swap modules instead of replacing the entire habitat.
Collaborative efforts between MIT departments led by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Johnson Space Center, as well as private companies like SpaceX and research institutions like Brookhaven National Laboratory, highlight the comprehensive approach needed to make Momo’s habitat.
As the project progresses through key milestones, from initial requirements to full operational readiness, it will continue to incorporate advanced technologies and rigorous testing to reduce risk and ensure mission success. The successful deployment of the Momo habitat complex will not only support the Artemis III mission, but will also lay the foundation for long-term lunar settlement, paving the way for sustainable human exploration of the Moon, say the project’s authors.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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