Momo lunar habitat is a reconfigurable compact dwelling for future Moon settlements

By 2030 we could see a rise in space tourism and most likely the human habitation of the Low Earth Orbit will trigger the shift towards living beyond Earth. Even though realizing the dream of setting foot on the red planet is some decades still to go, living on the lunar surface is not a far-fetched craving.

The challenges in colonizing planets or satellites beyond the Earth’s bounds are immense and taking them one step at a time is the key. One of the challenges is to provide a safe haven for inhabitants in inhospitable conditions. This project dubbed Momo wants to address this with a flatpack and modular option for practicality. Developed by MIT’s Department of Architecture and MIT Media Lab in association with AeroAstro, the self-assembling lunar habitat is among the best ideas so far we’ve come across.

Designer: MIT Media Lab

Keeping in mind the things that could go wrong in alien environments, the Momo habitat is completely replaceable in case there is a breach or malfunction. Rather than replacing the whole habitat, the compromised module can be swapped with a new one. This saves time and ensures the inhabitants have one less thing to worry about. The ultimate goal for developing Momo will be to support the Arthemis III mission and assist in the long-term lunar settlement mission. Oen can realize the extent of the seriousness of this undertaking by the fact that MIT Departments will be headed by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Jhonson Space Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory and SpaceX.

For the first phase, the compact habitat will have a design that flat-packs inside the Starship HLS cargo space. It’ll be developed keeping in mind at all times about the safety and efficient space utilization. The modular aspect allows for versatile functionality, for instance, realigning the aluminum frame and high-density polyethylene membrane for setting up camp depending on the terrain of the Moon. It can be anything from a safe airlock compartment, windows, work desks, or even exercise areas.