Rapid Construction of Next Generation Facilities on the Moon: A Case Study of the Lunar Ark, Biorepository for Earth's Biodiversity

The lunar lava tubes are theorized to be a network of nearly 100+ subsurface tunnel-like tubes formed from ancient lava flow on the Moon's surface. They can provide shelter that is impervious to cataclysmic changes that occur periodically on Earth's surface. The lunar lava tubes are expected to be a shelter from the extreme temperature variations of the Moon's surface, radiation, in addition to micro-meteorites. Earlier, our team envisioned utilizing one of the lunar lava tubes, which are nearly 80 m in cross-sectional diameter and nearly 100 m deep, as Earth's biorepository (Lunar Ark). The Ark would cryogenically store eggs, sperm, seeds, and spores from 6.7 million plants, animals, and fungi species. This paper analyzes how a subsurface Ark can be constructed on the Moon using a modularbuilding block strategy. In developing this Lunar Ark, the aim is to build a facility that can readily expand further into the lunar lava tube as needs increase. The Lunar Ark will consist of a series of cryogenically frozen cylindrical compartments (much like a train compartment) that are prepared on Earth and are finally assembled end to end on the bed of a lunar lava tube. The prefabricated cryo-compartments loaded with the bio-matter would arrive from Earth using a Starship-type lander. The Lunar Ark compartments will be constructed on Earth as they need to preserve the bio-matter all the way on the trip from Earth to the Moon. This approach vastly simplifies the construction process on the Moon as the cryogenic compartments will simply only need to be assembled and laid out to form the entire base. The main piece of construction needed will be a crane robot which will lower the compartments into the lava tubes without compromising their structural integrity by ensuring no collisions occur between the structures and the walls of the tube. Utilizing this system of construction will permit us to build and expand the Ark as needed while working to not damage the lunar lava tube features. Importantly, we look to the rapid construction and setup. Hence, the Lunar Ark becomes operational in a matter of weeks or even days with the delivery of cryogenically preserved content to the surface of the Moon.