THE NATIONAL SPACE SOCIETY SPACE SETTLEMENT CONTEST 2024

“Saint Sava” National College, 10th grade Bucharest, Romania, Large Group

Project

Team members:
Turcu Alexandru
Ghit Maya
Julean Maria
Fabian Luca Coordinator:
Cheta Mihai
Turcu Filip
Dutu Damian
Andronea Macarie Supervisor:
Gherghe David
Prof. Paval Cristina
 TABLE OF
CONTENTS
1.Introduction 7.Engines
1.1.Threats to Earth..........PAG 7.1.
1.2.Why the spaceship Aquila?..........PAG 8.Life Support
1.3.Location 8.1.Atmosphere
2.Population 8.2.Water-nu e gata
2.1. 9.Lifestyle
3.Structure 9.1.
3.1. 10.Government
4.Artificial Gravity 11.Research
4.1. 12.Resource
5.Transportation 13.Safety
5.1.
6.Shielding
 1.Introduction
1.1.Threats to Earth
Earth, our common home, is vulnerable to a series of major threats that endanger both the environment and the future of humanity.
According to a study conducted by the international group of Earth Commission scientists, Planet Earth exceeded seven of the eight scientifically
established safety limits and entered the „danger zone”, not only for an overheated planet that loses its natural areas, but also for the well-being of the
people living on it.
-One of the most urgent dangers we face is climate change. Rising global temperatures, extreme weather events affect the availability of natural
resources and places for the population.

-Pollution, in its various forms, is another serious threat to Earth. Air, water and soil pollution, as well as light pollution, affect biodiversity and human health
significantly.

-The loss of biodiversity is a worrying problem with serious consequences for the functioning of ecosystems. Reducing biodiversity can lead to ecological
imbalances, affecting the ecosystem services we depend on for food, water and natural resources.

-Overpopulation and Shortening of Natural Resources - Population growth and resource demand put pressure on ecosystems and lead to depletion of
the limited resources of our planet.

-Natural Disasters - Events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires and hurricanes are events that cause enormous loss and human suffering,
destroying infrastructure and the environment.

-Destructive astronomical phenomena– NASA warns that there are large asteroids that can endanger our planet. Events in outer space can have serious
consequences for humanity.
 1.2.Why the Spaceship Aquila?
In the face of these serious threats, space exploration and colonization is essential for the future of humanity, as we must find innovative and courageous
solutions to ensure the survival of the human species.
In this context, the Aquila project is an ambitious initiative to ensure the survival and prosperity of humanity by moving a significant number of people to an
advanced and autonomous spacecraft, in a fairly near future.
This project is not only about physical migration, but also about a journey towards knowledge, discovery and, most importantly, towards a better future for all.
This spacecraft is not just a means of interplanetary transportation, but an environment in which we aim to recreate the human experience on Earth by adapting
it to the conditions in outer space.
In addition to the survival of humanity, the Aquila Space Ship provides a unique opportunity to explore and colonize new planets and start human life elsewhere
in the Universe.
On this ship, we intend to continue to carry out traditional human activities such as living, working and socializing in a manner as similar as possible to our home
planet. The ship is also a mobile cosmic laboratory, offering unlimited opportunities for scientific research and technical innovation. Our mission is to ensure our
autonomy in terms of food and water, we aim to carry out advanced research and develop recycling technologies, agricultural crops, food production, efficient
management of resources, etc.
Aquila is not just a spaceship, it is a source of inspiration for future generations.
For the naming of the ship we drew inspiration from both astronomy and mythology.
Aquila is the name of a constellation located in the northern hemisphere, symbolizing this journey through the universe and the discovery of new horizons.
"Aquila" means eagle in Latin and in Roman mythology was used as a symbol of divinity and power that can also be, a powerful and captivating symbol for the
missions of the crew and passengers.
The choice of name reflected the aspiration for great and extraordinary achievements in space exploration.
 1.3.Location
The first step in establishing a thriving colony is selecting the right place for it. Although beautiful and mesmerizing, space is full of dangers and
unpredictabilities; therefore, we cannot just throw the dice when choosing where our settlement is situated.

Everybody dreams of exploring the furthest corners of the Universe or even of our Solar System for a start, but we have to be realistic. We have to
understand that the Aquila will not be a haven for humanity nor even sustainable if we were to send it out too far, leaving aside the fact that the costs
and the risks would be too high.

This is not a video game, and as much as we would like to one day be able to set foot on any other planet near us, we have to account for every minute
detail and understand that this is not Aquila's role. We must take the necessary precautions and be as careful as possible when making decisions.

We had considered multiple locations near Earth, such as the Lagrangian Points, The Earth's Orbit, and, of course, the Moon's Orbit. Each of the three
had its advantages and disadvantages, some more than others. For example, the L3 point was a clear no from the start; it is situated way too far from the
Earth and any source of resource gathering. The L4 and L5 points, although closer and the most stable of them all, have virtually no protection from the
Sun's radiation, which, of course, plays a huge role when considering our home.

The other 2 points, L1 and L2, although much closer and more convenient, would be rather unstable and represent a higher risk in case our vessel drifts
away from its designated route. The Earth's orbit, although in the vicinity of our true home and more favourable for the more convenient acces to
resources it could provide, is filled with space junk.

According to "The Conversation", "There are around 23,000 objects larger than 10 cm (4 inches) and about 100 million pieces of debris larger than 1 mm
(0.04 inches). Tiny pieces of junk might not seem like a big issue, but that debris is moving at 15,000 mph (24,140 kph), 10 times faster than a bullet." This is
a clear indicator of why this would be less than ideal.
Not only that, but Solar energy would not be quite abundant in our orbit, and even more, there is little left to discover there that could prove an
invaluable breakthrough. Therefore, our final proposal was the Moon's orbit. The Moon's orbit offering similar proximity to our planet, the ISS being
near, and, of course, the Moon itself, all make a favourable case for the celestial body's orbit. In case of any emergency, the ISS could send help- the
average distance between the Moon and the ISS is 4*10⁵ km.

Not only that, but the Moon is abundant in resources such as methane, frozen water, silicon, carbon, He-3(from which can be produced Changesite-
(Y), a valuable and expensive fuel used in nuclear research and a potential component in a nuclear weapon with a 75 megaton yield, discovered by
China). We would not have to worry about as much space junk in the Moon's Orbit- although the numbers are still growing - and in case of an
asteroid approaching the station, the Aquila can use its motors to move around in the orbit in order to prevent the attack, which can be a relatively
simple and manoeuvrable technique due to the Moon's weak gravitational field(1/6 9,81~1,64 m/s²).

The Moon's orbit and atmosphere do not provide any protection from the Sun's radiation either, similar to Lagrangian Points. So, a strong radiation
shield would still be necessary, but that is just to be expected. One thing was left: the type of orbit chosen. Nevertheless, there were no doubts here:
a near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) is more than likely the best fit for what we are trying to achieve. We could even joke around saying that this type
of orbit has experience in this field, as it was used in the Gateway project launched by NASA due to its ideal stability and methodically planned fuel
consumption.

But to sum it all up, we believe that an NRHO orbit around the Moon is the ideal scenario, and we believe that it could benefit our Aquila and its
citizens the most compared to the other options.
 8.Life Support
8.1.Atmosphere
So that living on Aquila can be sustained, we will need to create an earth-like atmosphere on
our space station.

Argon has no biological role, so it will not be present in our atmosphere.

In the construction phase of our ship, Nitrogen will be brought in tanks from Earth. However, our
moon mining capabilities will enable us to extract Nitrogen from the Moon by heating it to a
high temperature (> 1200 degrees C). Although there is a trace amount of Nitrogen in solar
winds, getting it from there in the beginning will be uneconomical. Eventually, we will not have
to depend on Earth for this resource.

As with Nitrogen, we will initially rely on oxygen tanks from Earth to sustain the ship's oxygen
supply. However, we will also produce oxygen through the process of water electrolysis, as
shown in the equation:
→
2 H2O(l) 2 H2(g) + O2(g).
Another source of oxygen will be the lunar soil, which contains almost 45% oxygen(more
information in resource chapter). Additionally, the plants on board will produce oxygen through
photosynthesis, a third oxygen source for us.
6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light —> C6H12O6 + 6 O2
The plants will use carbon dioxide produced by humans, but any excess amounts can be easily
vented away from the ship.
 Pressure
Air Quality
To maintain optimal air quality in the living space, controlling
To prevent any issues with equipment, the pressure value inside the space station
humidity and gas concentration levels is essential. The Air
will be the same as the pressure on Earth, which is 14.7 psi (101.352 kPa),
Revitalization Systems will ensure this by adjusting
although humans can stay healthy at lower pressure levels. The density value will
temperature and adding moisture to the air. Different systems
be 1.2 kg/m3.
will be used to monitor and regulate gas concentrations, and
they will also be able to remove trace contaminations from the
Volume
atmosphere. By doing so, we can ensure that the respiratory
The volume of our atmosphere will be about 870,267,000 m3. That's the added
systems of the inhabitants and plants remain unaffected.
volume of four toruses and the inner cylinder.

Temperature
To maintain a comfortable temperature of 24°C (297.15K) inside the
space station, an Active Thermal Control System (ATCS) will be
used along with thermal shielding ( see Shielding chapter ). The ATCS
will consist of pipes filled with ammonia that will collect, transport,
and reject heat. Excess heat produced by systems inside the space
station and humans will be dumped into space to prevent any issues
caused by higher temperature levels.
8.2.Water
Water is vital for sustaining life, and we recognize its importance in Aquila. We
are committed to ensuring that water is provided and disposed of safely and
sustainably on the ship.
To achieve this, we need to determine the amount of water required daily for the
inhabitants. The following graph shows the average amount of water used per
person daily. These figures are based on a strict water usage policy that will be
promoted and implemented on the ship. Additionally, various water-saving
systems, such as dual flush toilets and low-flow shower heads, will be in place to
optimize water usage