Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Artistic depiction of NASA astronauts at the lunar south pole carrying out early work to establish an Artemis Base Camp.
Image credit: NASA

As multiple nations plot out their Moon exploration strategies, how best to survive the lunar night gives space engineers the cold sweats.

The Moon’s lunar day/night cycle at most locations on the surface includes fourteen Earth days of continuous sunlight followed by fourteen days of constant darkness and intense cold.

Due to the lack of a moderating atmosphere, temperatures on the lunar surface can range from +120 ℃ during the day to -180 ℃ during the night. Permanently shadowed regions on the Moon can be even colder, plunging down to -240 ℃.

Shown here is a rendering of 13 candidate landing regions for NASA’s Artemis III mission. Each region is approximately 9.3 by 9.3 miles (15 by 15 kilometers). A landing site is a location within those regions with an approximate 328-foot (100-meter) radius.
Image credit: NASA

Pluses and minuses

All those pluses and minuses add up to one of the most demanding environmental challenges that future Moon expeditions will face. Attaining and gaining longer and longer human stays – perhaps gaining permanent status — will mean coming to grips with the moon’s vicious environment.

For more information on this topic, please go to my new Space.com story – “Surviving the lunar night can be a challenge for astronauts on the Moon – The Moon’s lunar day/night cycle means fourteen days of continuous sunlight followed by fourteen days of constant darkness” – go to:

https://www.space.com/moon-missions-artemis-challenges-overnight