Lunar Water Logistics
Supporting the completion of Aegis Station and launching the first off-Earth water economy.
Update: Water Logistics Now Reflects 1g Configuration
Aegis Station has transitioned to a 1g artificial gravity baseline. This change increases shielding volume to 3.3 million metric tons, requiring an expanded tanker fleet and updated logistics architecture.
The new fleet delivers 2,025 tons per day with 45 upgraded tankers, cutting the projected fill time to under 5 years. Shielding depth and architecture remain unchanged—3 meters of lunar-sourced water along each ring's outer hull.
1. Executive Summary
Aegis Station's three-ring configuration and central hub require over 3,300,000 metric tons of water—equivalent to 1,320 Olympic-sized swimming pools—to complete its radiation shielding and life-support reserves. Delivering that volume from Earth would be prohibitively expensive and logistically unsustainable.
Instead, the station will be filled entirely with lunar-sourced water, mined and lifted from the Moon’s surface. Our logistics baseline calls for a fleet of 45 reusable tankers, each delivering 45 tons of water per trip. This system will fill Aegis Station in approximately 4.5 years and continue operating beyond that point to support:
- Fuel production (via electrolysis: H₂ + O₂)
- Orbital depot refueling (cislunar and LEO)
- Life support reserves for long-duration crews
- Shielding and utility water for future habitats or spacecraft
The water economy doesn’t end with Aegis—it begins with it.
2. Water Requirement Overview
Total water volume: 3,300,000 m³ (~1,320 Olympic-sized swimming pools). This volume is required to form a 3-meter-thick shielding layer across all three Aegis Station rings.
| Component | Volume (m³) | Mass (tons) | Olympic Pools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Shields (×3) | 3,300,000 | 3,300,000 | 1,320.00 |
| Total | 3,300,000 | 3,300,000 | 1,320.00 |
3. Delivery Architecture
- Fleet: 45 reusable tankers
- Payload: 45 tons each
- Daily Throughput: 2,025 tons/day
- Fill Time: ~4.5 years
- Estimated Trips: 73,333
4. Lunar ISRU Operations
Water is extracted from permanently shadowed craters near the lunar south pole using microwave heating and thermal processing. The resulting vapor is condensed, purified, and loaded into cryogenic transport tanks.
- Excavation and thermal separation
- Solar/nuclear power sources
- Autonomous mining and transfer systems
ISRU Process Flow
Lunar ice mining and processing from excavation to tanker loading.
5. Logistics Infrastructure
Surface systems:
- Launch pads with dust control
- Cryogenic storage tanks
- Remote Operations Nodes (RONs)
Orbital systems (at Aegis):
- Docking ports and cryo lines
- Water routing and shield integration
- Autonomous transfer monitoring
6. Long-Term Applications
- H₂ + O₂ fuel production
- LEO and Gateway refueling
- Life support and redundancy reserves
- Shielding for future vehicles and platforms
- Orbital water storage and mission staging
This infrastructure will remain in service long after Aegis is filled—fueling missions, habitats, and platforms across cislunar space.
7. Cost Considerations
| Source | Cost per kg | Cost per Olympic Pool |
|---|---|---|
| Earth-launched | $2,500 | ~$6.25 million |
| Lunar-sourced | $150 | ~$375,000 |
| Scenario | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| Earth-Launched Water | ~$4.1 trillion |
| Lunar Water (delivery only) | ~$247.5 billion |
| Lunar Water (with infrastructure) | ~$400–500 billion |
8. Strategic Value
- Reduces Earth dependence
- Enables orbital exports and fuel economy
- Anchors long-term lunar industry
- Positions Aegis as the cislunar logistics hub
10. Learn More
Visit aegisstation.com for additional concept art, vehicle dossiers, and orbital system planning.
— A.S., Principal Architect