Bulk MMOD Wall
Regolith Berm + Outer Whipple Combined MMOD Wall
The Bulk MMOD Wall is a passive impact shield combining an outer Whipple panel with a 1- to 2-meter regolith berm to protect surface infrastructure from micrometeoroids and orbital debris. In the vacuum of the lunar surface, unattenuated hypervelocity impacts require layered physical mitigation: the outer Whipple layer breaks up millimeter-scale particles, while the underlying regolith berm absorbs centimeter-scale projectiles up to a 1 cm penetration limit. Operating with zero power consumption, an areal density of 4,015 kg/m², and a 100-year design life, the physical mass of the berm simultaneously functions as overburden for habitat radiation shielding.
Combined bulk MMOD wall: outer Whipple panel + 1-2 m regolith berm provides redundant protection against both small and large particle impacts.
Purpose
Combined bulk MMOD wall: outer Whipple panel + 1-2 m regolith berm provides redundant protection against both small and large particle impacts.
Context
Child of L2-MMD-BULK within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸Outer Whipple stops small particles (mm scale)
- ▸Regolith berm stops larger particles (cm scale)
- ▸Combined effective penetration limit raised significantly
- ▸Coupled with L1-RAD radiation shielding (synergy)
- ▸Robotically maintained via L3-ISR-EXC-BWE haulers
Typical implementations
- ▸NASA Lunar Habitat MMOD studies
- ▸ESA Moon Village shielding
- ▸ICON Project Olympus regolith berm concepts
Lunar considerations
- ▸Synergy with L1-RAD overburden — same regolith serves both
- ▸ISRU labor for berm construction by L1-ROB fleet
- ▸Long-mission settlement compensated by additions
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Combined bulk MMOD wall: outer Whipple panel + 1-2 m regolith berm provides redundant protection against both small and large particle impacts. |
| penetration limit cm | 1 |
| areal density kg per m2 | 4015 |
Physical
| mass kg | 100000 |
| materials | Regolith fill, Whipple shield (see L3-MMD-WHIP) |
| vacuum compatibility | True |
Operational
| power consumption w | 0 |
| thermal range c | -40, 70 |
| lifetime years | 100 |
| mtbf hours | 1000000 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Composite MMOD + RAD protection
Requires
- Regolith feedstock
- Outer Whipple stack
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Bulk MMOD Wall" (L3-MMD-BULK-WALL). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-MMD-BULK-WALL
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.