Project AIA Toehold Lunar Base

[wehaveaproblem]

Hi all,

Following my WIN update dev thread I have decided to build a lunar base on the moon, akin to WIN's stylings and scale. I'm still planning on updating WIN with several additions, but I thought I would get discussion going and get some ideas for the lunar base before I start.

I have some rough ideas so far...
Use a huge crater as the defining area for the base.
Have underground, or semi-submerged, buildings in the crater wall/ground that can be taxied into for loading and maintenence.
All the usual greenhouse, solar arrays and etc etc.

But the main important decision is location location location. I am considering one of the poles for it's light and shade potential (water? etc). But also an equatorial location for ease of transfer.

As with WIN, I want it technically feasible, but a little future-tech.

So, again, this is another "what would you want included?" thread.
All your thoughts and input will be grately appreciated, as ever.

WHAP

 

[T.Neo]

Firstly, I'd strongly advise against putting the base on the far side- you'll run into communications issues that way.

Secondly, the poles are a good idea, but points of eternal light don't exist in orbiter except when you are exactly at the pole. (Planets in Orbiter are flat.)

Equatorial bases are fine, the solar power problem can be avoided by having nuclear reactors or power storage methods.

Most of the base should be underground, with observation points/greenhouses above the surface. Vessels should be parked in hangars to prevent temperature stresses.

Place landing/takeoff pads in isolated areas to prevent landings/takeoffs from throwing dust and regolith onto the base.

 

[Face]

So, again, this is another "what would you want included?" thread.
All your thoughts and input will be grately appreciated, as ever.

Well, I always wondered if landing pads with such narrow margins to land in are really a realistic setup for spaceports on planets/moons without atmosphere. E.g. the Beach with its central tower right besides the pads. I just think such a setup is dangerous if you thing about space traffic in the ranks of today's air traffic.

Therefore, I'd like to see VTOL landing pads with a bit more secure setup, i.e. bigger pads (so you don't have to pinpoint your approach that much) and further away from infrastructure like towers and other buildings. I even think a kind of "runway" with taxiway infrastructure should be included.

cheers,
Face

 

[Kaito]

What Face and TNeo said. Maybe also some hangars with door opening/closing animations. And I like the idea of a runway, leaves some room for error.

With Face's idea of the pads being semi-far away from the infrastructure, maybe have some sort of tube leading from the pads to the main body, so that the astronauts dont have to use up their oxygen on the long hike there

 

[the.punk]

I continue to the others.
A runway would be cool and also some animations like doors and hangars as katio said.
In a crater would also be cool since then the area looks better.
I think a equatorial base would be good.

 

[Donamy]

A base that could be added onto, kinda like building a station in orbit. I disagree with the tube idea, a pressurized rover, used to trek to the launch area, would do the trick.

 

[the.punk]

Implemention of using UMMU like Prelude base. And the UMMU could drive with this rover.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Cheers chaps, some great suggestions there. I'm going to address them all in general.

I was thinking of putting a runway or 2 in actually, so it's good that idea is popular. Much shorter than earth runways, but I think they are more appealing than tiny pads. Although I think I shall have a selection, since the base will cater for craft up to the size of the XR5.

And yes, I think the landing/launch/(un)loading areas should be away, or at least shielded from the main hab structures. As to how it connects, I like both the tunnel and the rover idea. The rover actually could be a real nice addition to any base, I think it is a project unto itself... hint hint hint.

I think I will go for an equatorial location, as this makes transfer easier and leaves options open for further, more specialised bases, later. I'll have a look for some nice crater textures and the like and see what kind of set up I will go for.

I would like to inculde some animations, so I will probably have an SC3 vessel that will contain all the animated parts. So the base will have optional functionality and be UMMUFA compatible.

I was thinking of the best way to implement scalability to the base, so it can be added to and extended by users, either with further modules of exisitng stuff.


So, Here's an idea. What if I used 2 adjacent craters that share a wall. I could put all the launch/land stuff in one and have a base built through the crater wall into the other. That way I can include all the essential stuff, but people have an entire crater to expand into...?

 

[the.punk]

Cheers chaps, some great suggestions there. I'm going to address them all in general.

I was thinking of putting a runway or 2 in actually, so it's good that idea is popular. Much shorter than earth runways, but I think they are more appealing than tiny pads. Although I think I shall have a selection, since the base will cater for craft up to the size of the XR5.

And yes, I think the landing/launch/(un)loading areas should be away, or at least shielded from the main hab structures. As to how it connects, I like both the tunnel and the rover idea. The rover actually could be a real nice addition to any base, I think it is a project unto itself... hint hint hint.

I think I will go for an equatorial location, as this makes transfer easier and leaves options open for further, more specialised bases, later. I'll have a look for some nice crater textures and the like and see what kind of set up I will go for.

I would like to inculde some animations, so I will probably have an SC3 vessel that will contain all the animated parts. So the base will have optional functionality and be UMMUFA compatible.

I was thinking of the best way to implement scalability to the base, so it can be added to and extended by users, either with further modules of exisitng stuff.


So, Here's an idea. What if I used 2 adjacent craters that share a wall. I could put all the launch/land stuff in one and have a base built through the crater wall into the other. That way I can include all the essential stuff, but people have an entire crater to expand into...?

Sounds good.
But I don't understand this last point with the 2 craters.

 

[MeDiCS]

I was thinking of the best way to implement scalability to the base, so it can be added to and extended by users, either with further modules of exisitng stuff.

Only if you have a GUI application to do it .

Also, I like the idea of two craters. It's quite realistic, but the crater where ships are supposed to land should be big and shallow.

 

[Ark]

Why would you have a runway? The only way to land on the moon is standing on your rockets, there is nothing that calls for a conventional runway.

Might be neat to have textured roads for rovers, though, to shuttle people between the base and the landing area, especially since common sense dictates the landing area be at a safe distance from the base.

Maybe the landing area in one crater, the UMMU base in the other, and a tunnel through the wall?

 

[MeDiCS]

The whole point of runways to leave you more room to maneuver, like a big VTOL pad.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Sounds good.
But I don't understand this last point with the 2 craters.

To seperate the dangerous stuff from the day-to-day stuff. So launch/land in one crater, live in the other. Plus it alows me to wormk on a some nice topography meshes

Only if you have a GUI application to do it .

That would be great...fancy making one?

Might be neat to have textured roads for rovers...
Maybe the landing area in one crater, the UMMU base in the other, and a tunnel through the wall?

Yeah that was pretty much what I was thinking like, but I figure I might as well put some base in the wall, not just a tunnel, since it is the safest place to live. And it would be cool to taxi into a hillside.
also...

The whole point of runways to leave you more room to maneuver, like a big VTOL pad.

what he said.

 

[the.punk]

To seperate the dangerous stuff from the day-to-day stuff. So launch/land in one crater, live in the other. Plus it alows me to wormk on a some nice topography meshes

Sound cool,

 

[MeDiCS]

That would be great...fancy making one?

Maybe. But I'm not promising anything here .

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Sound cool,

I'm glad you made sense of that horribly typo-ridden sentence!


MeDiCS, it wouldn't be needed for a long way down the line anyway.. maybe I'll give you a poke sometime in the distant future

 

[Countdown84]

Here are my 2 cents:

• I favor an equatorial location
• I dislike the idea of runways. It just doesn't seem realistic at all to me. I do, however, like the idea of a wide-open landing area (with larger pads) somewhat removed from the main area
• #1 feature on my list is one simple "active base" component that would basically replicate the features of Prelude II. doesn't have to be fancy, just something that lets you switch camera views, manage crew members, and start EVAs.
• As to scenery, I think some kind of lunar scenery is a must. However, I think the "base inside one giant crater" concept is a little bit cliche / not as interesting. I would suggest placing the base amidst a series of smaller craters, canyons, and rocks. Part of the motive here is to give us some terrain to explore with UMMU
• As to transfer between Hab area and VTOL area - I am working on a very basic 2-person UMMU rover right now, and after it is complete I might try to expand it to something more suitable for crew transport. I think a tube or tunnel of some type makes sense though. If you like the rover concept, perhaps create some cool scenery and roads for it to drive on (like a canyon or bridges). An equally cool idea might be to create a train or monorail that is UMMU compatible, and create little stations for it at each end of a track. (this may be a task for another developer)

VERY excited about this new base!! Thanks, WHAP!

 

[HiPotOk1978]

wow, getting all excited to see a new WHAP base added to orbiter. Gives me a reason now to load up orbiter and doing some orbital surveying of my own so I give suggestions for a location

 

[Ark]

wow, getting all excited to see a new WHAP base added to orbiter. Gives me a reason now to load up orbiter and doing some orbital surveying of my own so I give suggestions for a location

"Grid 47b...flat. Grid 47c....flat. Grid 47d..."

 

[Kveldulf]

I dont like the idea of runways personally. The fun in landing for me is getting squared up on a VTOL pad. Since the base will be fitting up to XR5 size, maybe just bump up the scale on a standard pad, and go from there?

Other then that, I'll echo Countdown's ideas.

Good luck!