In the second episode of our special three-part Pathfinder series on lunar architecture—brought to you by our partners at Lockheed Martin—we’re zooming in on the technologies and design principles that will help establish a sustainable, long-term presence on the Moon and pave the way for future missions to Mars. Joining us are Christie Iacomini, who manages Lockheed Martin’s lunar infrastructure technology portfolio, and Tim Cichan, the company’s space exploration architect.

Christie and Tim walk us through the building blocks of lunar infrastructure, from robust power systems and reliable communications networks to habitats and mobility solutions. They also highlight the importance of resource utilization, the evolving role of public-private partnerships, and the collaborative efforts needed to turn ambitious concepts into practical solutions.

We discuss:

The role of vertical solar arrays, nuclear fission systems, and power grids in supporting lunar operations
Communications challenges and the roadmap for building an interoperable lunar network
Innovative habitats and rovers designed to withstand extreme lunar conditions
Strategies for in-situ resource utilization, including extracting water ice and other key materials
The significance of international collaboration and commercial engagement in achieving lasting lunar sustainability

And much, much more…

• Chapters •

00:00 - Intro

03:45 - What is a space architect?

04:42 - Lockheed's goal for Mars

08:23 - Technological advancements that have made a long-term Moon mission possible

09:52 - What does a successful Lunar mission look like?

11:46 - Power systems for Lunar and Mars missions and state of development cycles

18:15 - Tech in Artemis II and III

20:04 - Challenges for creating a seamless communications network for the Moon

22:34 - Effect of modern tech in space

27:10 - Lunar mobility capabilities

30:44 - Habitation

33:14 - Inflatable vs modular habitats

34:20 - Lunar resource utilization

36:42 - How to create seamless integration between mission-critical tech

41:55 - Planned contingencies

43:49 - Seemingly futuristic technology

45:54 - Getting around on the Moon

47:48 - How Lockheed works with other companies building Lunar architecture

49:01 - Technical milestones

50:58 - What will it take to land on the Moon on time?

52:07 - Inspirations for your work

• Show notes •

Lockheed Martin’s website — https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/space/human-space-exploration/water-based-lunar-architecture/lockheed-martins-lunar-architecture-novella-white-paper.html

Lockheed Martin Space’ socials — https://twitter.com/LMSpace

Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam

Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace

Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace

Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes

• About us •

Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.

Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:

1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern

2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)

3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays

4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece, comes out on Wednesdays

You can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

Paper Blankets

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong

Lost foods: garum and revivals

The AI-powered Podcast Player