Going Beyond Properties of the Future

By: Jotham Lim

Have you ever looked up into the night sky and wondered if we will ever reach the stars one day? Well, it would be difficult to do so without first establishing an extraterrestrial home base on another planet beforehand.

To colonise another planet would be the next step in human evolution. It is easy to imagine such a thing happening millennia in the future, but scientists, engineers, and architects are taking the steps necessary to make that dream a reality right here today.

The Self Deployed Habitat for Extreme Environments or S.H.E.E could possibly be your new home on the moon in the distant future, if we are able to cure the ageing process along the way. Designed as a hybrid structure system composed of inflatable, rigid, and robotic components, it is able to house two people, provide ample radiation shielding and flexibility in space, all while being compact and light enough to fit into a spaceship.

However, S.H.E.E is not just meant for outer space exploration. By adopting space design methods, it has opened up the possibility of using such technology in extreme environments on Earth, and even for humanitarian needs such as disaster mitigation.

Property Insight managed to get in touch with Dr Barbara Imhof, internationally acclaimed space architect, design researcher, and the project lead for the S.H.E.E project, to get her thoughts on space exploration and colonisation as it is today.

Is it Possible to Own Properties in Outer Space?

According to the Outer Space Treaty, no one can actually own anything from outer space, and it remains unclear if you will be able to do so in the future. It is up to the entirety of humanity to decide if we want that to happen.

There is, however, the possibility of having properties up for lease in outer space. Imagine having lunar hotels and such. You do not have to own properties per se, but you can lease or rent them in certain areas for very limited use.

Another issue I think is important and must be made mandatory, is to leave no trace on both the Moon and Mars. In an extreme environment with limited resources, we must not leave any waste when building something on a new planet.

But it is sad to say that conveying this message and implementing policies to prevent wastage is already hard enough as it is on Earth.

Would there Possibly Be High-rise Buildings like The Jetsons? Or Would We Have to Live like Moles Underground?

Until we can find a way to protect ourselves from intense radiation, I do not think that it is possible to have any steel and glass high-rise buildings in outer space. It is, however, possible to build taller structures on the Moon than what is feasible here on Earth due to lower gravity. But even then, you would still need to find a way to protect yourself from the incoming radiation.

There is an existing extensive cave system on the Moon. In most likely cases, we will have to utilise these cave systems and sheltered spaces if there is any attempt to colonise the Moon.

Why Would Anyone want to Colonise the Moon?

I think the Moon would be a great tourist destination if colonisation were possible. People would definitely go there for 1/6th gravity, which is almost as good as zero gravity. The Moon has incredible craters and terrain that you can traverse around. There will be stones and rocks of different colours on the surface, and many will shimmer for quite a bit.

You can even do all kinds of strange sports on the Moon. Imagine extreme Olympic sports where you are as close to flying as you can be. Even swimming would require you to learn new techniques not applicable on Earth. But best of all, you can see Earth from the Moon as this sort of fragile blue dot in the sky.

What is the Biggest Lifestyle Change when Living in Outer Space?

Considering the fact that most people on Earth live in large cities, people in the modern era are very detached from nature, spending a lot of time in shopping malls and whatnot. I think humans have already evolved in that sort of direction where they are perfectly suited for the Moon because we are effectively indoor people.

The biggest difference I would add is that you can’t just open the door and exit whenever you please. If you have a big argument with your spouse or friend, you can’t just leave the building and slam the door behind you. You would have to wear a space suit first; imagine how comical that would be.

Do You Think that Terraforming is Feasible?

I don’t think it is feasible to terraform the Moon, but it is possible to do so on Mars. There is a Mars trilogy in literature by Kim Stanley Robinson - Red Mars, Blue Mars, Green Mars - that details the terraforming process.

Because Mars has such little atmosphere, you would need to utilise atomic bombs to create a greenhouse effect which could possibly transform Mars in the long run. But such a process would take a very, very long time, and I am not sure if that should even be a priority.

What’s The Biggest Obstacle to Space Exploration Right Now?

There are many factors to consider for space exploration, but I would boil it down to just three of them. The first would be our transportation system. We do not have consistent, reliable rockets ready to send humans to the Moon, but at our stage of development, we are very close to solving this problem right now.

Second, we do not have a fully closed life support system, but the Chinese government is very close to solving this issue as well. Finally, we lack the necessary radiation shielding required for long-distance travel.

Imagine flying to Mars for six months between planets. We need to think about spaceships that can protect us from radiation safely. But thanks to the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway programme, we are one step closer to discovering a safer and much more efficient way for interplanetary travel. - JL