American researchers introduced a concept for constructing a lunar spaceport utilizing slabs made from lunar regolith as the main material. Information regarding this appeared in the scientific journal Acta Astronautica.
A central challenge of the project is the requirement to impart high durability to these slabs, considering the limited understanding of lunar construction material properties, the publication states.
Unlike the Apollo missions, where landing occurred on unprepared lunar terrain, such an approach is impractical for permanent bases due to the risk of infrastructure damage from dust and debris kicked up during landing. Researchers defined the parameters for a landing pad capable of receiving craft weighing up to 50 tons (for example, Blue Moon), which corresponds to roughly 7.5 tons on the Moon.
The pad must be resistant to high exhaust gas temperatures (up to 3400°C) and sharp thermal variations. Furthermore, its construction must preclude the use of conventional steel reinforcement, the material emphasizes.
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