L2-STR-PEN
ESSENTIAL
STRUCTURAL
Level 2 · hardware
Penetrations and Feedthroughs
Structural Penetration and Feedthrough System
Sealed pipe and cable pass-throughs maintaining pressure boundary integrity
Purpose
Route power, data, fluid, and thermal lines through pressure walls without leakage
Context
Component of L1-STR within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸Hermetic feedthroughs maintain pressure boundary while passing utilities through walls
- ▸Glass-to-metal seals provide reliable electrical penetrations for wiring
- ▸Bellows-sealed penetrations accommodate thermal expansion of pipes and conduits
- ▸Leak rate specifications ensure penetrations meet overall pressure vessel leak budget
Typical implementations
- ▸ISS pressure vessel penetration designs (electrical, fluid, data)
- ▸Nuclear containment building penetration assemblies
- ▸Submarine hull penetration and sea chest designs
- ▸Vacuum chamber feedthrough components (MDC, Kurt J. Lesker)
Lunar considerations
- ▸Every penetration is a potential leak point over 100-year mission
- ▸Thermal cycling at penetrations creates stress concentration and fatigue risk
- ▸Must accommodate routing of power, data, fluid, and gas lines between compartments
- ▸Minimizing number of penetrations reduces leak risk but increases routing complexity
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Route power, data, fluid, and thermal lines through pressure walls without leakage |
Operational
| thermal range c | -173, 127 |
| lifetime years | 100 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Hermetic utility routing through pressure boundaries
Requires
- Pressure vessel wall interface for penetration installation
Decomposes into
L3-STR-PEN-ELEC
Electrical Feedthroughs
Hermetic electrical feedthroughs passing power and signal wires through pressure boundaries
L3-STR-PEN-FLUID
Fluid Feedthroughs
Pipe penetrations passing thermal fluid and water lines through pressure boundaries
L3-STR-PEN-OPT
Optical Feedthroughs
Optical fiber and window penetrations for data communication and visual inspection
L3-STR-PEN-SEAL
Penetration Seals
Sealing systems at all penetration locations maintaining pressure boundary integrity
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Penetrations and Feedthroughs" (L2-STR-PEN). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L2-STR-PEN
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.