Lunar Water Logistics
Supporting the completion of Aegis Station and establishing the first off-Earth water economy.
1. Executive Summary
Aegis Station's three-ring configuration and central hub require over 1,650,000 metric tons of water—equivalent to 660 Olympic-sized swimming pools—to complete its radiation shielding and life-support reserves. Hauling that volume from Earth would be prohibitively expensive and logistically impractical. 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 30 reusable tankers, each delivering 30 tons of water per trip from lunar surface to orbit. This system will fill Aegis Station in approximately five 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: 1,650,000 m³ (~660 Olympic pools). This covers three shielding rings and the central hub.
2. Water Requirement Overview
Total water volume: 1,650,000 m³ (~660 Olympic-sized swimming pools). This volume is required to form a 3-meter-thick shielding layer across all three Aegis Station rings, enabling full radiation protection and thermal stability.
| Component | Volume (m³) | Mass (tons) | Olympic Pools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Shields (×3) | 1,650,000 | 1,650,000 | 660.00 |
| Total | 1,650,000 | 1,650,000 | 660.00 |
3. Delivery Architecture
- Fleet: 30 reusable tankers
- Payload: 30 tons each
- Daily Throughput: 900 tons/day
- Fill Time: ~5 years
- Estimated Trips: ~55,000+
4. Lunar ISRU Operations
Water is extracted from permanently shadowed craters near the lunar south pole using microwave heating and thermal processing. Collected vapor is condensed, purified, and loaded into cryogenic 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
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