Brief Tech 008 – Haul Road Design and Mobility Framework for the Moon
BT-008 delivers the first structured guideline on lunar haul road design, tailored for mission planners, system designers, and contractors.
On Earth, haul roads are an established field with decades of mining and civil engineering standards. On the Moon, no such standards exist, yet mobility is the decisive factor for energy use, fleet productivity, and infrastructure reliability. BT-008 adapts proven terrestrial haul road principles (AASHTO, Monenco, Thompson & Visser) to lunar conditions, incorporating the SpaceGeotech L1–L5 regolith framework and Apollo EVA mobility data.
This document provides:
Design parameters for geometry, widths, gradients, berms, and cross-sections adapted to low gravity and regolith mechanics.
Layer properties (surface, base, sub-base, sub-grade) with preliminary modulus ranges for compacted, sintered, and stabilized regolith.
Traction coefficients benchmarked against Apollo EVA data and extended for ISRU surfaces, mats, and slabs.
Energy and productivity ROI models, showing how road construction translates directly into reduced propellant demand and increased fleet throughput.
Visual charts and design notes that present the trade-offs between untreated regolith, compacted surfaces, and engineered pavements.
BT-008 demonstrates that lunar haul roads are not a secondary detail, they are the backbone of mobility, logistics, and investment return. It is a practical engineering framework, not academic theory, designed to support near-term Artemis and private sector missions.