The Moon Society and the Mars Society's Moonbase Simulation

by The Moon Society

Date: 01 March 2006 Time: 10:54 AM ET

The National Space Society is teaming up with The Moon Society to create a lunar settlement simulation using the Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station. Here is the daily blog from the experiment being held in the Utah desert:

Entry for March 03, 2006

Things continue to go well. Some projects are ahead of schedule, others we have not been able to start.

The chief drain on our time is uploading stuff. It is torturously slow on our satellite hookup, and costs us an estimated 8 man hours a day, 2 hours apiece for 4 crew members.

Certainly, if we were ever to deploy a lunar analog station, broadband access would be a must, even if it means siting the outpost closer to civilization.

It is beautiful and awesome here, but we have to pay a price for this isolation.

The Observatory webcam will show the first sections of the simulated pressurized tunnel we are building between the Hab and the GreenHab already in place - the framework anyway. It should go faster, now, once the hardest part is done.

Entry for March 01, 2006

Log Book for February 28, 2006

Peter Kokh,commander, Reporting

We made progress on several fronts today. First, we put up a Moon Flag. It is not a flag of the Moon, nor the flay of the Moon Society. It is a flag flown by this crew. Following suite to the Mars tricolor red-green-blue (after Kim Stanley Robinsion's science fiction trilogy of Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars) we adopted a tricolor of our own: Gray (for the Moon's surface), Blue for water or the hydrogen we must scavenge from the soil with which to make it, Green for the verdant biospheres in which we will live. Right now it is whipping in high winds. Meanwhile, the Mars flag of our hosts still flies here also, as it should!

Peter got a start framing the top of several sections of the simulated pressurized tunnel we are building between the Mars Hab and the GreenHab. The design has been approved by the MDRS Engineering Team. You can watch our progress on the Observatory webcam.

Hugh got a start on Project Mast, riding with Don Foutz, our agent in Hanksville. Meanwhile Leslie Wickman joined the crew today and will be working on monitoring and upgrading the GreenHab water recycling system.

We had our second EVA today, William and Guido suiting up again for ATV training.

Crew Physical Status: One crew member still has a bad cough, but otherwise we are all well and happy to be here. We were threatened with rain today, but so far there has been only a howling wind, strong enough to sandblast exposed tissues, limiting outside activities and interrupting tunnel construction for now.

Tomorrow our ongoing projects will continue. Weather permitting, Peter will continue work on the tunnel project. Leslie will be working in the GreenHab. Other projects continue indoors.

All utilities performed perfectly again today, and that conintues to make Steven a happy camper.

Entry for February 28, 2006

MoonSkinT Mechanical Counter-Pressure Suit (Day 02)

Principal Investigator: William Fung-Schwarz

Crew Health & Safety Officer, Human Factors Research Lead

William Fung-Schwarz, was2@utah.edu

Observations: Today I wore the MoonSkin MCP suit for the first time. The suit specifications are included in this report. Donning of the suit was incredibly easy. I substituted a modified knit cap for a neck warmer and substituted this for the full head MCP hood. The air unit, radio, and other equipment were stored in a traditional waist bag. Hydration unit tubes and air tubes fit comfortably into the protective helmet. The air unit was run in intermittent burst (mostly due to the fact that the system is so loud). Intermittent use was not sufficient to prevent fogging of inside of helmet. I consumed 2 liters of water during the 1.5 hour excursion. Sweating was a small issue, only light undergarments were worn beneath the MoonSkin MCP. Elastic neoprene socks allowed for copious pedal perspiration. A shower after the EVA/Surface Excursion was a very welcome way to end the trial run.

Project Goals:

1. Create a realistic analogue simulation of a Mechanical Counter-Pressure (MCP) suit [first described by: Webb (1967, 1968); Annis & Webb (1971); Hargens et al. (1987); Aratow et al. (1993)] and currently being developed by F.A. Korona and D.L. Akin (at the University of Maryland) and Dava Newman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

2. Collect descriptive and subjective data from 1-2 users of the MoonSkin MCP bout comfort, utility of manual dexterity, and temperature of suit.

Suit Description

1. Body: Mens 3/2mm Tilos Titanium Skin Chest Full Suit Jumpsuit Wetsuit (Model #J3020, size 3XL)

2. Hood: Standard/Unisex 6/3 Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Water Sports Hood w/Vent (Model #H6010BK, size XL)

3. Inner Footwear: NRS HydroSkin? Neoprene Socks (Black, Large, Item 722203)

4. Outer Footwear: La Sportiva Latok (TRK) Boots (US size 12)

5. Hydration: Camel Pack Rogue (70 oz/2 litres, Item 720121)

6. Protection: Black Diamond Bod Climbing Harness (size XL)

7. Helmet: BMW/Shoei RF-1000 Helmet (large, with clear visor)

8. Forced Air Apparatus/Ventilation: Coleman Quickpump Rechargeable (Model 5999C400)

Estimated Suit Cost

1. Body: $67.99 (purchased from all3sports.com)

2. Hood: $19.95 (purchased from all3sports.com)

3. Inner Footwear: $33.00 (purchased from REI)

4. Outer Footwear: 250.00 (purchased from Campmor.com)

5. Hydration: $45.00 (purchased from REI)

6. Protection: $60.00 (purchased from Black Diamond)

7. Helmet: (borrowed) estimated cost $200.00

8. Ventilation: $32.00 (purchased from Gart Sports)

Future Upgrades

1. Helmet: Reevu Rear-view mirro helmet (http://www.reevu.com/)

2. Ventilation: 3MT Belt-Mounted Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR)

GVP-Series

Log Book for February 28, 2006

Peter Kokh,commander, Reporting

We had our second EVA today, William and Guido suiting up again for ATV training.

Tomorrow our ongoing projects will continue. Weather permitting, Peter will continue work on the tunnel project. Leslie will be working in the GreenHab. Other projects continue indoors.

All utilities performed perfectly again today, and that conintues to make Steven a happy camper.

Entry for February 28, 2006

MoonSkinT Mechanical Counter-Pressure Suit (Day 02)

Principal Investigator: William Fung-Schwarz

Crew Health & Safety Officer, Human Factors Research Lead

William Fung-Schwarz, was2@utah.edu

Project Goals:

1. Create a realistic analogue simulation of a Mechanical

Counter-Pressure (MCP) suit [first described by: Webb (1967, 1968); Annis & Webb (1971); Hargens et al. (1987); Aratow et al. (1993)] and currently being developed by F.A. Korona and D.L. Akin (at the University of Maryland) and Dava Newman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

2. Collect descriptive and subjective data from 1-2 users of the MoonSkin MCP bout comfort, utility of manual dexterity, and temperature of suit.

Suit Description

1. Body: Mens 3/2mm Tilos Titanium Skin Chest Full Suit Jumpsuit Wetsuit (Model #J3020, size 3XL)

2. Hood: Standard/Unisex 6/3 Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Water Sports Hood w/Vent

(Model #H6010BK, size XL)

3. Inner Footwear: NRS HydroSkin? Neoprene Socks (Black, Large, Item 722203)

4. Outer Footwear: La Sportiva Latok (TRK) Boots (US size 12)

5. Hydration: Camel Pack Rogue (70 oz/2 litres, Item 720121)

6. Protection: Black Diamond Bod Climbing Harness (size XL)

7. Helmet: BMW/Shoei RF-1000 Helmet (large, with clear visor)

8. Forced Air Apparatus/Ventilation: Coleman Quickpump Rechargeable (Model

5999C400)

Estimated Suit Cost

1. Body: $67.99 (purchased from all3sports.com)

2. Hood: $19.95 (purchased from all3sports.com)

3. Inner Footwear: $33.00 (purchased from REI)

4. Outer Footwear: 250.00 (purchased from Campmor.com)

5. Hydration: $45.00 (purchased from REI)

6. Protection: $60.00 (purchased from Black Diamond)

7. Helmet: (borrowed) estimated cost $200.00

8. Ventilation: $32.00 (purchased from Gart Sports)

Future Upgrades

1. Helmet: Reevu Rear-view mirro helmet (http://www.reevu.com/)

2. Ventilation: 3MT Belt-Mounted Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR)

GVP-Series

Entry for February 28, 2006

Artemis Moonbase Sim 1

MDRS Crew #45

Peter Kokh, Commander

Today was our first full day on Analog Luna. We are now settled in and got a start on several projects: the Human Factors project (William); the Space Frontier Diet simulation project (Laurel); Project MAST (Hugh); putting together our sponsors banner (Peter) and getting our Moon flag ready to put up tomorrow (Peter).

Last night?s dinner, a vegetable curry with basmati rice, was a clear thumbs up winner, and will be the first entry in our Space Frontier Cookbook.

We had our first EVA today! William and Guido suited up today, William in a blue Mars skinsuit that he had made himself, and Guido in the standard MDRS EVA suit. Guido our journalist, is a professional and is posting radio and web reports daily to a number of media. He found today's experience awesome and inspiring and he was busy writing furiously after his return.

One crew member has a bad cough, but otherwise we are all well and happy to be here.

Tomorrow our ongoing projects will continue. W e expect Leslie to arrive by noon and she will be anxious to get a start on her project monitoring how the GreenHab recycles graywater from the sinks and showers for reuse in flushing the toilet. Peter plans to begin assembling the arched top sections for the simulated pressurized tunnel to connect the GreenHab with the Hab. Getting beyond that depends on when Don can deliver the 40 PVC pressure pipes that we had on Big Blue before it died a noble death en route to the Hab from Salt Lake City on Saturday afternoon.

The sky was overcast last night at bedtime, but by 3 am every sky in the universe shown out the commander?s stateroom window. The commander resisted the temptation to share his excitement with the rest of the busily sleeping crew. The sky returned to overcast today and tomorrow there is the expectation of rain by sometime in the afternoon. We hope to get in an EVA before then as the next day will be a muddy one!

All utilities performed perfectly today, and that made Steven a happy camper.

Entry for February 28, 2006

"Denver, we have a problem!"

Today was supposed to be the first full day of the first Moon Society crew ever at MDRS (temporarily renamed the Moon Desert Research Station). But in fact, only one crew member, coming in via Grand Junction, CO arrived yesterday. The five us driving south from Salt Lake City had a simulated pressurized rover malfunction. The Mars Society's trusty 1983 Ford Crew Cab pickup, despite obvious signs of mechanical aches and pains, pushed on valiantly. But then alas, our faithful steed took its last breath about half way between Price and Green River. We thank it for picking the one small cellphone hot spot along the way. We were able to call for help.

Several people passing by stopped to see if they could be of assistance. Finally, Don Foutz, our fix-anything can-do agent in Hanksville, arrived. After trouble shooting battery cables, the oil system and a loose starter, we finally got the engine to start only to hear the characteristic racket of a bad rod. We waited a couple of hours more for a tow truck. The crew packed in Don's van and we followed the tow truck with Blue, finally arriving in Hanksville a bit past 9 pm. A command decision was made to spend the night at the Whispering Sands and get a good nights sleep before coming out this morning. The alternative would have been to transfer all the luggage and cargo and to arrive by midnight, maybe.

After morning showers for all and something to eat, Don drove us out to the Hab about 8 am for our briefing by Crew 44 and the handover of the Hab. We had arrived with minimal essentials, so while waiting for the rest of our luggage and cargo to arrive, we held short planning meetings, and took a tour of the facilities to acquaint first timers with everything. We didn't expect the cargo to arrive before late evening, but the departing crew pitched in to transfer it from Blue to a trailer, and it was delivered about 3:30 pm. Thanks to Danielle, John, Jonathan, and Lealem !!!!

We are all in good spirits. Tomorrow will be our first full day and we expect to get a start on our various projects. Meanwhile, for the balance of today, the order of business is to unpack, have a good meal, settle in, and relax.

Peter Kokh, Commander

Artemis Moonbase Sim 1

MDRS Crew 45

February 26,2006

Entry for February 25, 2006

". . . . . . . this is Artemis Control. We've just passed the T-minus 12 hours, and 5 minute mark in the countdown towards the departure of the Artemis One crew from the Selene Launching Complex aboard the BIg Blue space to luna transporter.

At this time Crew Scientist-Surveyor Hugh S. Gregory, reports a safe arrival at the Whispering Sands Motel Pressure Dome in Hanksville.

His Earth to Moon transit aboard the Skyjumper "Anik 21" was uneventful and he was met at Grand Junction Spaceport by Don Foutz aboard his personal pressurised moon rover "da van". Hugh reports that going in by Grand Junction has many advantages over going in via the Selene Launching Complex, the two big advantages were, 1.) no rush hour traffic and 2.) a two hour drive versus a nearly 5 hours drive.

Mission Commander Kokh and Crew Nurse Fung-Schwarz completed most of the provision assembling today. Tomorrow they will greet the final arriving team members and execute a de-orbit burn on the lunar lander Big Blue to start their descent into the Artemis One landing site.

All systems on the Artemis One Hab are reported to be functioning nominally. Next report when events warrent it. This is Artemis Control.. . . . ."

SpaceBase(tm)(c) - The Astronomy and Space Sciences

- Educational Information Service

- Vancouver, Canada

Hugh S. Gregory - Spaceflight Historian

- Chief Documents Editor for MDRS and FMARS research stations

- Crew Scientist-Surveyor for MDRS Crew 35, Artemis One Moon Base Sim

MarsCon 2006 - Science Guest of Honour

- Bloomington, MN, USA - March 03-06, 2006

SpaceBase(tm)(c) - The Astronomy and Space Sciences

- Educational Information Service

- Vancouver, Canada