“Astronauts on the Moon to Stay by 2024”, the main goal of NASA’s new Artemis Program launched in 2019, poses habitation challenges closely resembling long stays on Mars. Although the Moon is within reach of logistics from Earth, not all things needed by crew to maintain health can be brought from Earth at an affordable cost and reasonable schedule to meet the 2024 milestone of sustainable presence. Requirements for civil engineering activities are becoming more evident in concept analyses of mission scenarios showing a buildup of surface infrastructure and settlements on the lunar landscape. In the case of Mars, for the long stays on the Martian surface consistent with Earth-Mars’ 26-month synodic periods and current propulsion systems, some civil engineering activities are likely required to achieve crew safety metrics prior to crew arrival. “Astronauts on the Moon to Stay” places similar crew safety metrics on the crew as in the case of Mars. Operations on the lunar surface offer a Mars analog site opportunity for preparing equipment, demonstrating critical technologies, and training crew for subsequent Mars missions.

Access the Conference Proceedings Paper on ASCE Library 

“Astronauts on the Moon to Stay by 2024”, the main goal of NASA’s new Artemis Program launched in 2019, poses habitation challenges closely resembling long stays on Mars. Although the Moon is within reach of logistics from Earth, not all things needed by crew to maintain health can be brought from Earth at an affordable cost and reasonable schedule to meet the 2024 milestone of sustainable presence. Requirements for civil engineering activities are becoming more evident in concept analyses of mission scenarios showing a buildup of surface infrastructure and settlements on the lunar landscape. In the case of Mars, for the long stays on the Martian surface consistent with Earth-Mars’ 26-month synodic periods and current propulsion systems, some civil engineering activities are likely required to achieve crew safety metrics prior to crew arrival. “Astronauts on the Moon to Stay” places similar crew safety metrics on the crew as in the case of Mars. Operations on the lunar surface offer a Mars analog site opportunity for preparing equipment, demonstrating critical technologies, and training crew for subsequent Mars missions.

**[Access the Conference Proceedings Paper on ASCE Library](https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483374.106)** 

Requirements Development Framework for Lunar In-Situ Surface Construction of Infrastructure

This conference brought the experience and knowledge of experts in the aerospace industry together to share and discuss the latest research and engineering techniques that effect the exploration and settlement of space. Presentations were made in multiple concurrent symposia over three days. Topics included: Granular materials in space exploration, exploration in utilization of extra-terrestrial bodies, advanced materials and designs for aerospace and terrestrial structures under extreme environment, structures in challenging environments, and space engineering, construction, and architecture for the moon, Mars, and beyond.

Due to challenges with COVID-19, this 17th Biennial was moved to April 2021 and was offered in a virtual format.

[Paper Proceedings](https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/earthandspace2021)

Conference DOI: https://doi.org/10.26226/m.63243a3fb7ff860013acd57f