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Handbook of Lunar Base Design and Development

  • Book
  • Jun 2025

Overview

Editors:
  1. Peter Eckart

    1. Space Operations Program, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Melbourne, USA

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    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

  2. Andrew Aldrin

    1. College of Aviation/Space Operations Program, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Melbourne, USA

    View editor publications

    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • The most wide-ranging work on the subject, detailing cutting-edge lunar research and technologies

  • Covers diverse, interdisciplinary subjects, from geography and engineering to political science and economics

  • Forms an all-in-one guide for professionals and engineers

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Keywords

About this book

The Handbook of Lunar Base Design and Development provides information on all aspects of designing, building and operating future bases on the Moon, along with its commercialization. There are many plans already in place for doing so, and many companies ready to produce the necessary materials.


Split into nine comprehensive thematic sections, the reference work covers the entire lunar base process, from its inception to its operation. It begins with chapters on the history of lunar exploration and present-day, essential data on the Moon and its environment. It then examines the initial mission planning and site selection phases before moving on to current lunar base designs, their development, and finally their day-to-day operation. The final sections discuss the commercialization of the Moon in depth, exploring topics ranging from lunar resource utilization all the way to the exploration of Mars and beyond. 


Editor-in-Chief Peter Eckart’s Lunar Handbook served as a foundational source in this field from its initial release in 1999 through the 2006 second edition, providing the inspiration for this long overdue, completely overhauled work on the subject.This book thus serves as a practical all-in-one guide for aerospace professionals and engineers of all related disciplines looking to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of setting up a commercial lunar base.



Editors and Affiliations

  • Space Operations Program, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Melbourne, USA

    Peter Eckart

  • College of Aviation/Space Operations Program, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Melbourne, USA

    Andrew Aldrin

About the editors

Dr. Andrew Aldrin serves as the Director of the Aldrin Space Institute (ASI) and is an Associate Professor at Florida Institute of Technology. Prior to FIT, Dr. Aldrin was President of Moon Express, responsible for day to day operations for the company. Prior to coming to Moon Express, Dr. Aldrin was Director of Business Development and Advanced Programs at United Launch Alliance, where he oversaw development of corporate strategies, business capture, senior customer relations and advanced program development for civil space markets. Before ULA, Dr. Aldrin headed Business Development and Advanced Programs for Boeing’s NASA Systems, and Launch Services business units. He has also served as a Resident Consultant at the RAND Corporation and Professional Research Staff Member at the Institute for Defense Analyses. Dr. Aldrin holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from UCLA, an MBA from TRIUM, a MA in Science Technology and Public Policy from The George Washington University, and a MA in International Relations from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is an Adjunct Faculty member at the International Space University and has been Adjunct Faculty at the University of Houston and California State University at Long Beach. He has served as Vice Chairman of the SharesSpace Foundation since its inception in 1998. Dr. Aldrin is the son of the famous space pioneer Buzz Aldrin, who was one of the first humans to walk on the Moon.


Dr. Peter Eckart is founder and managing director of ASCE Partners Inc., a strategic and operational advisory company.  Peter is a former university-professor-turned-top-management-consultant turned-senior-executive.  He has been reporting into or advising CxO-level management for the past 15+ years and is passionate about creating impact. Peter started his career as assistant professor in space engineering at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. There he led the lunar micro-orbiter project LunarSat. At the time he was also a lecturer at the International Space University. He then joined McKinsey & Co. Inc. for over 5 years and was a member of firm's Global High-Tech and Global Innovation Practices. Before moving to the United States, Peter was based in the Middle East (Dubai) for several years. Peter is currently also an Advisory Board Member at the Buzz Aldrin Space Institute. He has published two major handbooks on space engineering: The Lunar Base Handbook (McGraw-Hill, 1999/2006) and Spaceflight Life Support & Biospherics (Kluwer/Springer, 1996).

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