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  • © 2018

Building Habitats on the Moon

Engineering Approaches to Lunar Settlements

Authors:

  • Lays out a feasible timeline for creating habitable structures on the Moon
  • Examines the engineering requirements needed to create sustainable bases while also addressing the economic aspects of space exploration
  • Written by Dr. Benaroya, whose Springer/Praxis book From Dust to Gold: Building a Future on the Moon and Mars won the 2012 Best Engineering Science Book from the International Academy of Astronautics

Part of the book series: Springer Praxis Books (PRAXIS)

Part of the book sub series: Space Exploration (SPACEE)

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Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
  2. Thoughts on the Moon

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 1-11
  3. Overview and context

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 12-41
  4. The lunar environment

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 42-84
  5. Structures

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 85-141
  6. Habitat studies

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 142-171
  7. Lunar-based astronomy

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 172-177
  8. Materials and ISRU

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 178-196
  9. Structural design of a lunar habitat

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 197-207
  10. Thermal design

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 208-223
  11. Probability theory and seismic design

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 224-248
  12. Reliability and damage

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 249-285
  13. Airplanes, redundancy and lunar habitats

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 286-298
  14. Advanced methodologies

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 299-306
  15. Concluding thoughts

    • Haym Benaroya
    Pages 307-309
  16. Back Matter

    Pages 310-314

About this book

Designing a habitat for the lunar surface? You will need to know more than structural engineering. There are the effects of meteoroids, radiation, and low gravity. Then there are the psychological and psychosocial aspects of living in close quarters, in a dangerous environment, far away from home. All these must be considered when the habitat is sized, materials specified, and structure designed.


This book provides an overview of various concepts for lunar habitats and structural designs and characterizes the lunar environment - the technical and the nontechnical. The designs take into consideration psychological comfort, structural strength against seismic and thermal activity, as well as internal pressurization and 1/6 g. Also discussed are micrometeoroid modeling, risk and redundancy as well as probability and reliability, with an introduction to analytical tools that can be useful in modeling uncertainties.

Reviews

“The book covers concepts and designs of structures and habitats on the Moon in detail … . Studying the book will give the reader a deep insight into all the technical, physiological and psychological problems and lets him establish the odds for the realization of a successful global 'Moon Village' vison. … The detailed references and registers, including all relevant interviews and quotations at the end of each chapter provide pointers to a whole universe of additional information.” (Joachim J. Kehr, Journal of Space Operations & Communicator, Vol. 15 (3), April, 2018)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA

    Haym Benaroya

About the author

Dr. Haym Benaroya is a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University. His research interests are focused on the conceptualization and analysis of structures placed in challenging environments. Primary examples include offshore drilling structures, structures subjected to explosions, and lunar surface structures for manned habitation.

Dr. Benaroya earned his B.E. degree from The Cooper Union in New York, and his MS and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Rutgers University in 1989, he was a senior research engineer at Weidlinger Associates in New York for eight years with responsibilities for a number of defense-related studies. He is the author of over 70 refereed journal publications, two text books - one in Vibration and the other in Probabilistic Modeling - and two research monographs with two former PhD students on structural dynamics in the ocean. His book From Dust to Gold: Building a Future on the Moon and Mars(Springer Praxis) was designated the 2012 Best Engineering Sciences Book by the International Academy of Astronautics.

Dr. Benaroya is an elected member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access