In 2009 Project SPARC flew its first Constellation mission, sending six students to the moon and establishing a two-module lunar habitat.

A re-creation of a lunar habitat, a model of a space elevator rising on the moon, and a large color hologram depicting a thousand exoplanets are all part of an exhibition celebrating the accomplishments of both manned and unmanned space missions.

Just as those improvements could not have been foreseen, there will be many practical spinoffs as we develop a permanent lunar habitat that will lead to improvements in our quality of life that cannot now be predicted.

A reoriented and reinvigorated manned space program would offer a viable partnership to other space-faring nations that might welcome this opportunity to participate with the United States in developing a lunar habitat.

The lunar habitat consisted of three Spacehab modules and a descent stage.

An Inflatable Module is an artificial lunar habitat designed to provide shelter to astronauts from the harsh conditions on the lunar surface.

A re-creation of a lunar habitat, a model of a space elevator . . .

Ruttley is working with the National Science Foundation on an inflatable Antarctic habitat that would serve as an analog for lunar or Martian habitats.

While NASA has yet to design the permanent camp, last July officials at the Johnson Space Center took reporters on a tour of possible lunar habitats to come.

It insisted that all lunar habitats be given geographic names rather than being named after national biases.