Foundation Tilt Monitor
High-Precision Tilt Sensors on Foundations
The Foundation Tilt Monitor is an instrumentation network of high-precision sensors installed across Ark foundation pads to detect structural settlement, regolith subsidence, and seismic-induced tilt. Utilizing MEMS or fluid-tube tiltmeters distributed across twenty foundation pads, the two-kilogram system provides one-microradian resolution in accordance with ISO 17123 surveying standards while consuming two watts of power. Operating in the lunar environment presents distinct geotechnical challenges, as one-sixth gravity fundamentally alters settlement dynamics compared to terrestrial baselines. This necessitates reliable long-mission detection of slow mechanical drift over a 25-year operational lifetime and a mean time between failures of 300,000 hours.
High-precision tilt sensors on Ark foundations detecting settlement, regolith subsidence, and seismic-induced tilt.
Purpose
High-precision tilt sensors on Ark foundations detecting settlement, regolith subsidence, and seismic-induced tilt.
Context
Child of L2-SSM-FOUND within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸MEMS or fluid-tube tiltmeters
- ▸Microradian resolution
- ▸Distributed across major foundation pads
- ▸Per ISO 17123 geotechnical surveying standards
- ▸Long-life solid-state
Typical implementations
- ▸Geotechnical tiltmeter heritage (terrestrial)
- ▸Industrial structural monitoring
- ▸Aerospace platform-level tilt sensors
Lunar considerations
- ▸1/6 g changes settlement dynamics
- ▸Long-mission slow-drift detection
- ▸Long-life sensors
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | High-precision tilt sensors on Ark foundations detecting settlement, regolith subsidence, and seismic-induced tilt. |
| sensors | 20 |
| resolution microradian | 1 |
Physical
| mass kg | 2 |
| materials | MEMS tiltmeters, Fluid-tube tiltmeters (alt) |
| vacuum compatibility | True |
Operational
| power consumption w | 2 |
| thermal range c | -40, 70 |
| lifetime years | 25 |
| mtbf hours | 300000 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Tilt data
- Tilt input for antenna correction
Requires
- Sensors (~2 W)
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Foundation Tilt Monitor" (L3-SSM-FOUND-TILT). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-SSM-FOUND-TILT
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.