“Casa Italia” on the Moon: The First “Alien” Habitat Module for NASA is Developed in Turin

Having surpassed the “Mission Definition Review,” the final approval for integrating the Multi-Purpose Habitation Module (MPH) into the Artemis program is awaited. This will be the first home designed for astronauts exploring another world, marking a new achievement for Thales Alenia Space Italy.

BY EMILIO COZZI

In a nod to the Olympic spirit, there will also be an “Italian House” on the Moon. Although not related to sports competitions on another world, the achievement can be likened to winning a medal—an accolade that Italy, particularly through the excellence of Thales Alenia Space Italy, can proudly claim. The habitat module, being developed in the Turin facilities, will serve as lodging for astronauts exploring the Moon. The MPH is a project under the bilateral agreement between the Italian Space Agency and NASA, slated for use in the Artemis program in the coming years.

NASA engineers were also present in Turin for a significant milestone in the project’s development. Now that the “Mission Definition Review” has been successfully completed, the final decision rests with the U.S. space agency. The definitive approval from the leaders of the Artemis program and the “Lunar to Mars Strategy” is expected by September. At that point, the MPH will officially be part of the residential solutions for Artemis missions.

During the Apollo program, the limited duration of Moon missions meant that the only shelter after extravehicular activities—exploring the lunar hills and craters—was the same vehicle that brought the crews there. This will also be the case for the initial human Artemis missions destined for the lunar surface, where accommodations will be provided by SpaceX’s spacious lunar version of the Starship, known as Moonship.

However, specially designed quarters will eventually be necessary, equipped with systems and accommodations to support pioneers. The Italian-made module may potentially become humanity’s first permanent residence on an extraterrestrial surface—a remarkable achievement, though not entirely surprising. Thales Alenia Space has been responsible for approximately 40% of the 388 cubic meters of inhabited space on the International Space Station, including Nodes 2 and 3, the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM), the Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM), the Cupola, and the Columbus laboratory. As Thales Alenia Space Italy continues to produce Cygnus cargo modules for Northrop Grumman, which regularly supply the ISS, work in Turin also focuses on habitats for post-ISS missions.

Lunar Station and Private Space Station

To understand how we might live in our future in space—or at least how early space pilgrims will—visiting Corso Marche, on the outskirts of Turin, is essential. There, a mock-up of another crucial lunar environment, destined to be the living quarters for the Lunar Gateway station, is already being prepared. This structure, still in development, will closely resemble the one set to orbit the Moon in the coming years. Today, astronauts in Turin conduct simulations and tests to provide engineers with feedback for making the environments more functional and comfortable.

In France, Thales Alenia Space is the prime contractor for the Lunar View, the service module previously known as Esprit ERM (Refueling Module), which includes a habitable volume and the only “panoramic” view of the exterior. As a joint venture of Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), the company is a preferred choice for pressurized environments. Even overseas companies look to Turin, as evidenced by the Cygnus module for Northrop Grumman. Another example is the Halo module (Habitation and Logistics Outpost), the first “room” of the Gateway, for which Northrop Grumman has contracted NASA. The shell, the capsule that will contain air pressure for its inhabitants, will be built in Turin, based on the Cygnus capsule model.

Thales Alenia Space has also been selected by Axiom to build two habitat modules for the future private space station, the first of its kind in low Earth orbit. The Axiom Space Station will initially dock with Node 2 of the ISS, also built by Thales Alenia Space, before eventually becoming an independent entity. Thales Alenia Space Italy is responsible for designing, developing, assembling, and testing the primary structure and micro-meteorite and debris protection system for the Axiom Node One (AxN1) and the Habitation Module (AxH), the first two elements to be launched into orbit for the Axiom station.

Lunar Architectures: New Challenges

NASA’s requirements are essentially fourfold: a ten-year operational life, allowing astronauts to stay for missions of varying lengths from one week to a month. For the rest of the year, the habitat must be controllable remotely. Inside, the habitat will have a dedicated space for scientific experiments that can continue in the absence of personnel. It must also have autonomous energy generation, which means the habitat will need to move to optimally position its solar panels, ensuring safety for occupants with shielding from radiation and systems to clean lunar dust. The module must be interoperable, compatible with all other Artemis program systems, which will be designed and built by various companies and space agencies, including communication systems with the Lunar Gateway and Earth.

A design released by Thales Alenia Space provides a first glimpse of the new habitat, designed to rest on a surface where the weight and surrounding environment cannot be ignored. The most recent rendering from the company shows a cylindrical shape: curved walls are crucial for better withstanding internal atmospheric pressure, essential for human survival. Notable are the large wheels, approximately one meter in diameter, capable of traversing significant dips and bumps, indicating that the “house” will be a kind of mobile unit, to be positioned optimally on an uncharted terrain. In such unexplored areas, adaptability will be vital, as with all exploratory missions.

The large solar panels, especially the vertical ones, are designed to capture as much light as possible, arriving horizontally rather than from above. The geographic location makes a difference: at the poles, sunlight arrives almost parallel to the ground, much more so than on Earth due to the Moon’s slight axial tilt (1.5°) compared to Earth’s (23° 26’). In the chosen destination, day and night could hypothetically last 15 days each, but the location might enjoy a continuous “midnight sun.” The ability to move autonomously will be advantageous for orienting the solar panels towards the Sun—a useful feature for potential future use on Mars, where system independence will be crucial.

Addressing the problem of lunar regolith, the fine lunar dust that caused issues during Apollo missions, will also be necessary. It is abrasive, sharp, and its flakes are like tiny glass shards; being electrostatically charged, it tends to cling to surfaces, getting into crevices and damaging suits and equipment. It is hazardous if inhaled. These are all technological challenges posed by uncharted territory, challenges that the world’s leading expertise in space habitation aims to address.