Sepreme

Radiation is always a threat in space. Both from background radiation and in bursts from sources such as the sun. While a requirement for any sustained pressence on the Moon is to have a shelter that is covered under lunar regolith, our Habitat is designed for the earlier phase of humans returning to the Moon as a "short-term" shelter for research and exploration missions similar to NASA's upcomming Artemis misisons in this decade.

The problem we solve with origami is the limited volume of a rocket (in our case a shipping container). Our habitat expands by 560%, we believe the extra size has tremendous effect on wellbeing. We have designed flexible seams (compliant joints) and not mechanical joints. Think of the flexible seam as a strong continues skin rather than a hinge.

Similar to astronauts on the ISS, we're going to have a schedule booked with several activities, including research work, maintenance, and repairs on the Habitat, which will take up the majority of our time.

During our personal spare time we'll be able to use equipment such as laptops and reading tablets along with a large quantity of software, books, movies, games, and other digital material to keep us entertained during the mission.

On the more physical side of things, we've designed the primary living space with folding desks, so it can be converted to an open space where we can exercise and keep in shape.

Firstly, Karl-Johan and I are the only participants/crew.

We are primarily testing two things: the unfolding structure, and the psychological countermeasures, which we have developed. This includes a small vertical garden, an algae bioreactor, and an artificial sky inside the habitat, made of LED panels, where we will simulate a "normal" circadian rhythm.

One of the big challenges of space exploration is the monotony. We believe that changing stimulation is key, and therefore we are also simulating changing weather inside the hab. Some days will be cloudy and colder, some days will be warm with "sunlight".

However a big motivation is an open-ended question, what will we learn by going that we couldn't have known beforehand.

We chose the arctic very carefully exactly because of the hostile environment, sunlight, and isolation. We want to simulate the stress that real astronauts experience so we can study our countermeasures. We simulate a mission to the south pole of the Moon, which is almost sunlit. A polar site on Earth is the best fit. You are right about wind loads, not an easy challenge, but no way around it.