The main research goal of the Lunar Homestead Lunar Iron Project is to prove the hypothesis that Lunar iron can serve as the primary construction for habitat pressure hulls. Showing that habitats can be constructed in-place with local materials is critical for any settlement in any location. Plus, we can build almost anything once we’ve got the technology to easily extract iron from Lunar regolith.
Besides the thrill of scientific discovery, what else will result from this project? Here’s an incomplete list:
- Working scale prototype of a pressure habitat hull constructed from Lunar regolith simulant.
- Working scale prototypes of regolith moving equipment constructed from Lunar regolith simulant. (SPORE)
- Working scale prototypes of regolith benefication and separation equipment constructed from Lunar regolith simulant.
- Working scale prototypes of mineral iron extraction equipment constructed from Lunar regolith simulant.
- Working scale prototypes of iron refining equipment constructed from Lunar regolith simulant.
- Working scale prototypes of iron working equipment constructed from Lunar regolith simulant.
- A number of scientific papers. I’m going to try my hardest to get them published in respected peer-reviewed sources. Failing that, I’ll get them published anywhere I can.
- I plan on at least one book being published on this topic. It will be written for a non-scientific audience and it’s purpose will be to show people that there is another way to settle space. And why life has to spread throughout the solar system (and beyond) if it’s going to survive.
- Public outreach is a primary goal as well. It’s not enough to just do the science. We need to show people that the future can be brighter than it currently appears. Hope and vision are excellent motivators that have been sorely lacking lately.
I’m sure this project will generate many more benefits. I’ll add them here as they appear. Please email me if you have any ideas or suggestions.
Please check out the Get Involved! page if you would like to help Lunar Homestead achieve these goals (and more).