Sarah Jane Pell | Luna Gaia: a closed loop habitat for the Moon

L U N A G A I A
A CLOSED LOOP HABITAT FOR THE MOON
SSP O6 Team Project, International Space University, Strasbourg

Luna Gaia posits a pathway to new technologies, philosophies, systems applications and infrastructure aimed at achieving a closed loop habitat model for human settlement on the moon. The framework supports an ideal profile for an optimum of 11 human crewmembers on the lunar surface for a period of 18-36 months. This presentation outlines the recommendations on the overall systems architecture, the engineering processes, as well as the research, development and orchestration of separately phased precursor missions by the year 2030. The Luna Gaia design solution focuses on optimizing the synergy between all regenerative processes of a network of closed loop life support systems. It also details the ethical and philosophical considerations of a lunar settlement and the wider implications for international law, policy and future interplanetary governance. Advancement of earth-based application of these processes are highlighted and strategies for effective information transfer and handling through education, media communication, outreach and advancement of futures research.
Authors (alphabetically)

Agenjo, A., Amaro, M., Auclair, S., Bertorz, F, Chartres, J., Deng, Y., Eisele, S., Gagnon, Dr. M., Galley, N., Garcia, N., Gauthier, J-F., Gill, T, Griffith, K., Gou, Z., Harkins, D.T., Haslam, D.T., Ho, K.T., King, A., Kuvaeva, V., MacPhee, S., Wilfred Mbezal, H., Murray, M., O'Gallachoir, P., O'Regan, J., Onoue, N., Ozlati, S., Pell, Dr. S.J., Poirier, S., Takahashi, H., Tateshita, Y., Transfield, E., Vandersteen, J. (2006)

Thirty-two (32) authors representing eleven (11) nationalities and almost as many languages worked collaboratively on Luna Gaia as a team project for the Summer Session Program held at the International Space University, Strasbourg in 2006. Working in an interdisciplinary and intercultural environment to produce a comprehensive professional level report, the authors interacted with experts from academia, government and industry. The authors backgrounds range from physical sciences, life sciences, engineering, information technology, business and management, policy & law, arts & humanities, space applications and architecture with over 53% of them possessing masters or doctorate degrees. Luna Gaia was supported by the ISU faculty and teaching support staff and co-chaired by Dr. Simon P. (Pete) Worden, Dr. Alan Weston & Dr. William Marshall of the NASA Ames Research Centre.

LUNA GAIA
Media | Articles | Interviews

The Green side of the Moon | Popular Science | Gregory Mone | Posted: 20.12.2007
The Green side of the Moon - Flash Flash design by Kevin Hand
Luna Gaia: The Green Side of the Moon | Colin Dunn | TreeHugger.com Science & Technology | Posted: 1/07/2008
A Home On The Moon | www.orato.com | Feb 21 2007 | Adam King (CA) Heather Wallace | Article Posted: 21/02/2007
The Australian | Newspaper Higher Education | Dec 19 2006 | James Chartres (AU) http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/index/0,,12332,00.html
Sarah dives in to help NASA with Moon home | The West Australian | Newspaper | Dec 13 2006 | Dr. Sarah Jane Pell (AU) Mendez, T., p. 46
Luna Settlement | The Hour | Canadian Television | Ontario | Canada | Dec 2006 | Sara Poirier (CA) http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?mode=w&save=1&id=1229

Graphics by Kevin Hand and Chris Aschenbrenner for Popular Science

On-Line Publication

Luna Gaia: a closed loop habitat for the moon, Final Report First Edition 2006, SSP06, Strasbourg, France, International Space University, 168 pages is available online at http://ssp06.isunet.edu/

NASA ARC Director's Colloquium 16 Nov 2006 - Luna Gaia: a closed loop habitat for the Moon

View more presentations from Dr. Sarah Jane Pell.

Luna Gaia: A Closed Loop Habitat for the Moon
Dr. James Chartres, Dr. Sarah Jane Pell
Australian Space Science Conference, Sydney, AU 2007

During the International Space University (ISU) Summer Session Program 2006 (SSP06) held in Strasbourg, France 32 graduate students and space professionals from 12 different countries supported by space experts from around the world worked on a interdisciplinary project for the development of a lunar habitat mission design. This paper will present the main results of this research.

The objectives of the project were to:
• Identify and evaluate the location for, design of, and implication of a lunar habitat
• Produce a report that can influence future international planning and execution of lunar space exploration programs
• Provide experience in multidisciplinary teamwork, under pressure of limited time and resources, on a problem of current world importance

The Luna Gaia Team’s Final Report describes a pathway towards new technologies, philosophies, systems applications and infrastructure aimed at achieving a closed loop habitat model for human settlement on the Moon. Recommendations are made pertaining to the systems architecture, engineering processes, research and development, and precursor missions required to achieve this vision by 2030. The proposed design solutions focuses on proven and innovative solutions to address the requirements for crew health, a feasible working environment and long term sustainability. The paper also describes the ethical and philosophical considerations of a lunar settlement and the wider implications for international law, policy and future interplanetary social governance. The authors intend to evolve the current status of thought and practice on these issues to consider new and responsible configurations of resource assets - on Earth and the Moon - and to inspire the will and confidence necessary to propel humanity and its technology, towards the next frontier of lunar settlement and sustainability on the Earth. Certain risks are identified and recommendations for further research are made in addition to discussion of significant opportunities and benefits. The project vision is also consistent with the preservation of life and responsible evolution into the solar system.

ISU Newsletter, 2007
Well timed SSP06 Team Project: Luna Gaia.

Since the inspiration of the SSP06 team project Luna Gaia: a closed loop habitat for the moon, we Luna Gaiaians have continued looking forward for ways to harness our skills, strengths and energies to contribute to the current global discussions and actions aimed at achieving a responsible future lunar human settlement. Many have been actively continued discussion, advocacy, strategic planning, networking, report refinement, research and public presentations to this end.

Project Luna Gaia (LG) aims at achieving a responsible closed loop habitat model for human settlement on the moon by the year 2030. The framework supports an ideal profile for an optimum of 11 human crewmembers on the lunar surface for a period of 18-36 months. The design solution focuses on the bio-regenerative systems as well as the research, development and orchestration of separately phased precursor missions. It also fosters the advancement of earth-based application and proposes strategies for implementation, further research, and effective information transfer right down to the handling of communication in education, media, and outreach.

I was invited to present LG to a new international audience in the context of an interdisciplinary symposium on ‘Inhabiting Space’, Space Soon: art & human space flight Conference, London during September 2006. I also spoke on a panel united to champion the critical role of art and humanities to contribute innovation, to ask questions, articulate meaning and support living systems, in all future space projects. I used the framework of the Luna Gaia study and my own sub sea research, to detail the ethical and philosophical considerations of a human lunar settlement and the wider implications for international law, policy and future inter/planetary governance.

Francesc Betorz (ES) and David T. Haslam (UK) presented LG in the prestigious forum of the IAC, Valencia in the following month. They impressed a well established and respected audience with the recommendations for the overall LG systems architecture focusing on the engineering processes.

In November 2006, a small international LG delegation traveled to NASA Ames Research Center in California at the invitation of Center Director Dr. Simon (Pete) Worden (Luna Gaia TP Co-Chair). Francesc Betorz (ES, James Chartres (AU), Nil Garcia (ES), Jean-Francois Gauthier (CA), Tracy Gill (US), Ting Ho (CA), Sara Poirier (CA), Dr. Sarah Jane Pell (AU), Jessica Scott (CA), Erin Tranfield (CA) and Jeroen Vandersteen (BE) presented with the support of Shabnan Ozlati (US), Stephen Eisele (US) and Michelle Murray (US). The team prepared a refined and more detailed presentation for the Directors Colloquium: a gathering of approx 80 scientists, researchers and administrators. The presentation exceeded all expectations. Pete was especially delighted that the questions from the audience highlighted our focus on the closing the biological-loop and optimizing the synergy between all regenerative processes. He later added that he would see what he could do about getting us to NASA HQ in Washington DC. Thanks for having us Pete. Just say the word, Luna Gaiaians are standing by!

Coincidently, in December 2006, NASA released the Lunar Architecture Team (LAT) study echoing the themes in the LG report. One important point to mention is that NASA reconsidered its lunar architecture to reflect the establishment of a lunar, polar outpost, to start the next phase of lunar exploration rather than with sortie missions as originally recommended in the ESAS. See http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/163896main_LAT_GES_1204.pdf http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/16401main_lunar_architecture.pdf The LAT study reaffirms the relevance and timeliness of our recommendations and, the alignment of the LAT and LG concepts will be very rich study areas at least for the next few years.

It has been a heartening beginning for LG ‘in the real world’ and we trust that there are many rewarding opportunities and challenges ahead for our generation. More than 53% of the LG team, graduates from Masters or PhD programs within the next 18 months and many have expressed interest in pursuing a career dedicated to LG inspired research and advocacy with agencies, industries and academia.

Luna Gaia will be presented at Why the Moon? ISU Annual International Symposium, Strasbourg, 21 Feb 2007 and the 2nd International Space & Society Conference, ESA, The Netherlands, 27 Feb – 1 Mar 2007 See you there!

Dr. Sarah Jane Pell (AU), SSP06

PS : Sara Poirier (CA) gave an excellent overview of the project relevance in an interview on national Canadian television in early December 2006. The video is available via http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?mode=w&save=1&id=1229.

Luna Gaia Presenters at the NASA Ames Directors Colloquium, 16 Nov 2006.
L-R: Ting Ho (CA), Stephen Eisele (US), Erin Tranfield (CA), James Chartres (AU), Jeroen Vandersteen (BE), Dr. Alan Weston, (Ames), Jessica Scott (CA), Sara Poirier (CA), Dr. William Marshall (Ames), Michelle Murray (US), Francesc Betorz (ES), Jean-Francois Gauthier (CA), Tracy Gill (US), Nil Garcia (ES), Dr. Sarah Jane Pell (AU).

L-R: 'Luna Gaia' Team Project Presentation Trailer 2006.

LUNA GAIA
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