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Conceptual Design, Manufacturing, and Assembly of a Tall Lunar Tower

Authors Marina Konstantatou , Aran Sena, George Cann, Irene Gallou, Salvador Navarro Perez, Orla Punch, Marc Guberman, David Goodloe, Platt Boyd

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Document Identifiers

Subject Classification

ACM Subject Classification
  • Applied computing → Computers in other domains
Keywords
  • Space Architecture
  • Lunar Infrastructure
  • Lunar Tower
  • Additive Manufacturing
  • In Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU)
  • Solar Energy

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Abstract

This research paper presents the results of a NASA-funded collaborative project between Foster + Partners and Branch Technology that developed the design, manufacturing, and assembly of an optimised 50m tall lunar tower for solar energy generation at the Moon’s South Pole. The tower’s structure is characterised by a helical diagrid geometry with integrated spiralling rails, designed to enable crane-free manufacturing, solar array deployment, and maintenance. The tower’s unique geometry is designed to be compatible with a freeform 3D printing and cellular fabrication strategy, creating opportunities for in-situ resource utilisation and load path optimisation. Particular attention was placed into developing a site-specific design that takes into consideration the unique environmental and lighting conditions of the Lunar South Pole. Two demonstrators were fabricated by the consortium: a 1:50 scale functional prototype with a robotically-deployed rotating solar array and a 1:1 scale 5m section of the tower. Both were showcased in March 2025 during the "Earth to Space" exhibition at the Kennedy Space Centre in Washington DC. This project contributes to the efforts of developing supporting infrastructure, such as power and communications networks, which will enable lunar exploration and a sustained human presence on our Moon and beyond.

Cite As Get BibTex

Marina Konstantatou, Aran Sena, George Cann, Irene Gallou, Salvador Navarro Perez, Orla Punch, Marc Guberman, David Goodloe, and Platt Boyd. Conceptual Design, Manufacturing, and Assembly of a Tall Lunar Tower. In Advancing Human-Computer Interaction for Space Exploration (SpaceCHI 2025). Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs), Volume 130, pp. 12:1-12:13, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025) https://doi.org/10.4230/OASIcs.SpaceCHI.2025.12

Author Details

Marina Konstantatou
  • Specialist Modelling Group, Foster + Partners, London, UK
Aran Sena
  • Specialist Modelling Group, Foster + Partners, London, UK
George Cann
  • Specialist Modelling Group, Foster + Partners, London, UK
Irene Gallou
  • Specialist Modelling Group, Foster + Partners, London, UK
Salvador Navarro Perez
  • Specialist Modelling Group, Foster + Partners, London, UK
Orla Punch
  • Foster + Partners, San Francisco, CA, USA
Marc Guberman
  • Foster + Partners, Los Angeles, CA, USA
David Goodloe
  • Branch Technology, Chattanooga, TN, USA
Platt Boyd
  • Branch Technology, Chattanooga, TN, USA

Funding

NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Program Award.

References

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