Lunar Life Support Parameters
Life support parameters represent the payload of a rocket and are measured in kilograms of supplies per day. They are subdivided into human needs, and human waste. Calculating the number of minimal kilograms of supplies required for each day per person is critical to the Lunar Settlement and would establish limitations to the number of people inside. Until the ISRU technology is available the lunar settlement would depend of Earth's importations.
These number were calculated for the MIR and utilized in the ISS. The most difficult issue of a lunar settlement is the cost of the payload, which is nearly US$ 10,000 for every kilogram sent to space.
Supplies per day Calculation
The table below [1]shows that every person needs a load of 11.09941 kg and a recyclable 12.47379 kg of water per day. Multiplying this number by 30 days, there would be 332.9823 kg of supplies per person per month. and 374.2137 kg of water, saying that the water is recycled once a month. This second number can be reduced if the settlement has a very efficient water recycling process.
| Needs | Effluents |
|---|---|
| Oxygen: 0.83461 kg | Carbon Dioxide: 0.99790 kg |
| Food: 0.6168 kg | Respiration & Perspiration Water: 1.82344 kg |
| Water in food: 0.49895 kg | Urine: 1.501139 kg Feces Water: 0.09072 |
| Food prep Water: 0.71668 kg | Urine Solids: 0.05897 |
| Drink: 2.22260 kg | Feces Solids: 0.03175 kg |
| Hand/Face Wash Water: 1.81437 kg | Sweat Solids: 0.01814 kg |
| Shower Water: 3.62874 kg | Hygiene Water: 5.44311 kg |
| Clothing: 0.92986 kg | Clothing: 1.13398 kg |
| Total: 11.09941 kg | Total: 11.09941 kg |
| Clothes Wash Water: 12.47379 kg | Clothes Wash Water: 12.47379 kg |
References
- ↑ Schrunk, David G. The Moon, Resources, Future Development and Colonization. New York: Jonh Wiley & Sons. 1999
