A few months ago, Science Times reported that SAGA space architects Sebastian Aristotelis and Karl-Johan Sørensen designed an origami-inspired foldable shelter for the off-world explorers of NASA's Artemis lunar mission. This origami-inspired foldable shelter is known as the Lunark Habitat that can be expanded and folded for easy transport.
Lunark's exterior is made with a strong aluminum frame covered with solar cells. Inside, there is a toilet and living quarters and desks and shelves designed for two people.
Recently, these two Danish space architects have completed their two-month stay in the Lunark in a remote part of Greenland to simulate the harsh conditions on the Moon. The temperatures in that part of Greenland is about -28°F (-16°C), and the space architects have no access to smartphones or the internet. The 1,700kg origami-inspired foldable shelter, Lunark, can withstand temperatures as low as -49°F and wind speeds of 55 miles an hour, MailOnline reported.
Lunark Habitat Expedition
The space architects carried chunky satellite phones and rifles with them in case of any dangerous encounters with wild animals. But their main purpose is to establish whether those people without any special military or astronautics training, such as themselves, will be able to survive in the Lunark in anticipation of space tourism in the future.
According to Aristotelis, it is possible to make an unfolding origami structure in the Arctic region. The two space architects unfold the Lunark during the day, without using large machinery, in an extreme environment.
He added that the Lunark Habitat itself had performed very well as they could sustain a quite comfortable indoor climate even at the very end of their expedition, which is much colder and windier than expected.
"We are civilians, and if we are looking at a future with more civilians in space, that's one of the most important things for us as architects to figure out," Aristoteles said.
The design company, SAGA, aims to make some final designs based on the Lunark Habitat expedition results to optimize its use for the lunar surface. They are planning to make a lot of changes in terms of manufacturing.
Arctic Greenland is a strange and desolate place and one of the most Moon-like landscapes on Earth. The two architects said that they did not have a hard time pretending they were on the Moon due to the harsh conditions. But Aristoteles said that it was challenging to ship a container up there with all the equipment and the habitat inside.
ALSO READ : Origami-Inspired Foldable Lunar Shelter for NASA's Artemis Set to be Tested on the Arctic this Fall
Living Inside the Lunark Habitat in the Arctic
Lunark Habitat is designed to land on-site, completely equipped with furniture, food, and other resources. The two space architects spent a day expanding the Lunark and then spent one month setting up camp before spending 60 days inside the Lunark, from October 2 to November 30.
To prevent from getting sick with each other, the two of them alternated their daily sleep patterns. Aristoteles will wake up before Karl and sleep earlier, while Karl will wake up later and sleep late as well. Overall, they only have an hour or two of personal and private time.
Moreover, the space architects share the same meals every day, which are composed of coffee, cold protein shakes, and hot soups. Their food is all made from powdered ingredients mixed with melted ice and protein bars.
In terms of the toilet, it is designed like in the ISS, wherein the poop and the pee are separated. It does not have running water as it is a dry toilet. There is also a fan that would suck the smells out.
The space architects do their business inside the pod as it is impossible to do it outside Lunark, either on Greenland or on the Moon. Lunark recycles much of the waste, and it also has a zero-waste ecosystem that ensures to leave no trace of human activity behind.
Check out more news and information on Lunar Mission on Science Times.
