The LUNARK project
In December 1972, Gene Cernan was the last man on the Moon. Nearly 50 years later, humankind is again looking to the Moon. But what would it be like to live there instead of merely stopping over?
SAGA, a Danish design studio, wants to make space liveable for future travellers. After designing and building the innovative LUNARK Habitat, SAGA co-founders Sebastian Aristotelis and Karl-Johan Sørensen tested its viability in Arctic Greenland from September to November 2020. They chose that bare location for its similarities with the Moon. As extreme cold was a major challenge, SAGA turned to Armacell for help with insulation.
The origami-inspired lightweight structure of the LUNARK Habitat was foldable to enable transportability to Greenland and, later, the Moon, yet strong enough to withstand polar bear attacks. The insulation had to cope with temperatures below – 30 °C (-22 °F) and winds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph). The origami structure was made of ArmaPET® and two layers of ArmaFlex® Ultima protected by ArmaFinish® were installed to insulate the internal walls. With its excellent fire performance and low smoke density, ArmaFlex was the only flexible insulation material to meet SAGA’s design requirements and Greenland’s shelter regulations. The excellent insulation provided by Armacell products kept the two-man crew warm in Arctic conditions.
“The HAB is working well, keeping us warm and safe. On average it’s a cosy +22°C inside. We feel healthy. Our bodies are adapting to this tiny way of living.”
“We’re going through the HAB looking for cold spots and adding extra ArmaFlex insulation where we can. The inside-outside temperature difference is now 50°C.”
“If humans are to settle on the Moon and other planets, we must be very careful how we design the homes for these pioneers. In space, your habitat is your entire world.” says SAGA.
Their LUNARK experiment tested a radically different Moon habitat where architecture makes living in extreme conditions possible and helps to counteract monotony and psychological stress.
