In recent years, NASA has shown a renewed interest in Lunar exploration. This renewed interest is expected to spawn a new era of exploration into the solar system, as well as generate new residual technologies for earth application. A review of experiences on the prior Apollo missions shows that there are significant challenges associated with returning to and establishing a base for humans in the harsh Lunar environment. The present article is a high level overview of the effort to return to the Moon, in the context of a larger effort towards human expansion farther into the solar system. Also included is a review of technical challenges associated with returning to the Moon.
AllenC. C.BondG. G.McKayD. S.Lunar oxygen production: A maturing technology. Fourth International Conference on Space, Proceedings for Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space IV, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 26 Febrary-3 March 1994 pp. 1220–1229.
2.
HeikenG. H.VanimanD. T.FrenchB. M.Lunar source book: A user's guide to the moon, 1991 (Cambridge University Press, New York).
3.
CreelR.Thermal analysis to meet moon mobility and survival challenges. Thermal and Fluids Analysis Work Shop, TFAWS Conference Proceedings, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 7–11 August 2006.
4.
GrafJ. C.Lunar soils grain size catalog, document number NASA/RP-1265, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, 1993.
5.
TatomF. B.SrepelV.JohnsonR. D.ContaxesN. A.AdamsJ. G.SeamanH.ClineB. L.Lunar dust degradation effects and removal/prevention concepts final report, document no. TR-792–7-207A, Northrop Space Laboratories, Huntsville, Alabama, 1967.
6.
GaierJ.The effects of lunar dust on EVA systems during the Apollo Missions, document number NASA/TM-2005–213610, Glenn Research Center Cleveland Ohio, 2005.
7.
BlessingD. L.KirklandJ.Design considerations and conceptual designs for surface nuclear power systems for the moon and mars, Space Technology and Applications International Forum. AIP Conference Proceedings, Albuquerque, NM, January 2006.
8.
WoodJ. G.CarrollC.MatejczykD.PenswickL. B.SoendkerE.Advanced stirling converter update. Space Technology and Applications International Forum, AIP Conference Proceedings, Albuquerque, NM, January 2006.
9.
ClayJ.Photon engine modeling using space 3D TSS V12.01, Thermal and Fluids Analysis Work Shop. TFAWS Conference Proceedings, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 7–11 August 2006.
