Brick Moon

A stylized image of a moon made of bricks

Brick Moon means better space habitats.

In 1869, the writer Edward Everett Hale described a self-contained space habitat for the first time in his classic story, "The Brick Moon."

Inspired by Hale's vision, Brick Moon, Inc., is a consultancy led by three experts in habitat design and use. We've performed award-winning research, including on the International Space Station, that reveals how people actually live in space. This work has been featured by CNN, NPR, NBC News, CBC Radio, Scientific American, Popular Science, Space.com, and many other media outlets. Our unique perspective, grounded in the social sciences and architectural design, allows you to ask different kinds of questions about your desired habitats and get useful answers.

Our goal is to help you create orbital or planetary habitats that improve productivity, reduce costs, and support crew well-being. We move you beyond anecdotes and guesswork, to reach data-driven insights learned from the reality of space habitat operations. Our services include feedback in response to existing habitats or plans for new ones, the identification of overlooked issues in spacecraft design, and education for designers and mission planners.

Meet our team

A smiling man in black-and-white, with dark hair and glasses.

A smiling man with gray hair and a blue suit.

Fred Scharmen, LEED AP,

AIA, ACSA, NOMA

Fred is an architect and researcher in the history and theory of space architecture. His first book, Space Settlements (Columbia UP, 2019) is about Gerard O'Neill's work with NASA and others to design large-scale cities in space intended to house millions of people. His second book, Space Forces (Verso, 2021), is a broader history of human aspirations in space. Fred is an international speaker and has helped speculate about life on future space stations for the Museum of the Future in Dubai, and built a scale model solar system stretching for a mile and a half through downtown Baltimore.

Justin Walsh, Ph.D., RPA, FAAR

Justin is a Registered Professional Archaeologist and a world leader in the field of space archaeology. He is Ad Astra Distinguished Fellow in Space Anthropology and Space Habitats at the Space Engineering Research Center at the University of Southern California. He has co-directed the International Space Station Archaeological Project since 2015. Justin was named to the Explorers Club 50 class of 2024, celebrating "remarkable explorers changing the world and extending the meaning of exploration.” He is an expert member of the IAF Technical Committee on Space Habitats.

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