Thales Alenia Space Multi-Purpose Habitation module programme manager Nicola Genco has shared several key details about the planned first permanent human presence on the Moon.
In 2022, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) signed a pair of agreements with NASA that would see ASI take the lead on the preliminary design of the lunar surface Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module. The MPH will offer astronauts the opportunity to visit the lunar surface as a means to extend scientific missions or, in emergency situations, act as a refuge.
In November 2023, Thales Alenia Space was awarded the contract to lead the module’s preliminary design process. In July 2024, both Thales and ASI announced that the preliminary design had passed a mission definition review. NASA will decide whether to move forward with the MPH module in late 2025.
While Thales and ASI have released few details about the design of the MPH module in official communications, an interview published by Fondazione Leonardo with the project’s program manager at Thales revealed several key details.
The MPH module will be six metres long with a diameter of three metres and a mass of around 15 tonnes. While initial iterations of the module envisioned it as a stationary outpost, its most recent design included the addition of wheels.
According to Genco, wheels were added to allow the module to move to the ideal location to survive the lunar night. The company is, however, also evaluating extending its range to enable it to use its new-found mobility to move to different locations to support various crewed Artemis missions to the lunar surface.
The module’s solar panels extend vertically several metres, a configuration that is necessary considering that the sun never rises above the lunar horizon more than one and a half degrees on the Moon’s South Pole, where it will be stationed.
In addition to the challenge of powering MPH, the harsh conditions of the surface of the Moon are also a key contributor to its design. Thales is exploring using coatings to deal with lunar dust, shielding to protect astronauts and equipment from radiation and extreme temperatures, and different approaches to ensuring the psychological well-being of its occupants.
With a limited inner volume, the space within MPH will be adaptable. For instance, the module will not feature a bedroom. Instead, astronauts will use mattresses on the floor when it’s time to catch some shut-eye. Genco described the interior design as featuring “modular solutions that can change shape based on use and time of day.” The company has, however, not yet paid “much attention to the exact shape of what the toilet will be like.”
The current design of the MPH module will be capable of supporting two astronauts for one mission per year, lasting seven to 30 days. The company is also exploring scenarios that will see the module host more astronauts for shorter periods of time. During the other 11 months, the module will be tasked with conducting scientific experiments autonomously.
As the module has not been assigned to a specific lunar lander, it is currently being designed to be launched aboard both the SpaceX and Blue Origin lunar landers being developed for the Artemis programme. If ASI and Thales get the green light to push forward with its development, the module will be available for launch early next decade.
