What is it about the moon that has inspired humanity for centuries? Whenever I am in an unfamiliar place, I take comfort in looking up at the moon. I take comfort in knowing that wherever we are and whoever we are, we share the same moon. As I gaze up, I wonder, what must it be like up there? One quote captures this sentiment, \u201cExploration is wired into our brains. If we can see the horizon, we want to know what\u2019s beyond.\u201d \u2013 Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Moon is kind of having a moment right now, and for the first time in 50 years, we traveled to the moon and beyond. Why go there? As Bu<\/span>zz Aldrin said, it\u2019s wired in us, but this time, the mission isn\u2019t the same: it\u2019s not just to explore but to establish a human presence, and this is a much bigger challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NASA\u2019s Artemis 2 took off last week, as part the wider Artemis mission to establish a permanent human presence on the moon\u2019s south pole. The location is primarily because of the potential presence of water, which is fundamental for long-term human habitation. But such a mission poses incredible risks, notably the large temperature extremes, larger than those previously experienced on previous missions to the moon\u2019s equator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These large temperature extremes can be incredibly detrimental to spacecraft and habitations, as it takes a significant expenditure of energy to ensure they have adequate power during long lunar nights and no solar power. It is, therefore, critical to predict, simulate, and design structures to withstand such an environment. Fortunately, Simcenter <\/a>can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNASA’s next spacecraft mission<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The moon’s thermal problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The thermal simulation problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n