Engineering topics

L. Sibille

Publications and source records attributed to L. Sibille.

6 records

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Experimental Considerations for Ground-based Testing of Lunar Construction Technologies

The Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project, under NASA’s Game Changing Division (GCD) aims to research, develop, and demonstrate lunar surface construction capabilities[1].A fundamental step in lunar infrastructure development is to quantify the geotechnical properties of lunar regolith, such as shear strength (Mohr-Coulomb cohesion and angle of internal friction), com-pression and bearing properties, and angle of re-pose. Knowledge of these geotechnical properties enables the prediction of forces and displacements associated with lunar infrastructure development processes including excavation and constructing landing pads, habitats, shelters, and roadways. Through ground-based testing of autonomous lunar systems performed using relevant hardware (e.g., robotic arms) in appropriate lunar regolith simulants, the developed hardware/technology and tool paths can be validated. Such testing also generates data to give insight into the geotechnical regolith properties on the lunar surface.

Regolith↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

LUNAR REGOLITH:SMALL SCALE ROBOTIC SITE PREPARATION AND GEOTECHNICAL EXPERIMENTSWITH SCOOPS

NASA’s Moon-To-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project seeks to research, develop, and demonstrate lunar surface construction capabilities. Quantification of lunar regolith’s geotechnical properties allows for effective prediction of forces and displacement during excavation and construction and is critical to facilitating regolith sintering capabilities all of which benefit lunar infrastructure plans. Knowledge of shear strength, Mohr-Coulomb cohesion, angle of internal friction, bearing strength, bulk density, etc. is needed. The use of ground-based testing of various lunar simulants with relevant hardware (e.g., robotic arm tools) enables validation of technology choices, tool paths, and lunar surface construction activities. In addition, the use of Taguchi methods will minimize the number of needed experiments to explore critical input parameters.

R. P. Mueller↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Experimental Considerations for Ground-Based Testing of Lunar Construction Technologies

NASA’s Moon-To-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project seeks to research, develop, and demonstrate lunar surface construction capabilities - Quantification of lunar regolith’s geotechnical properties allows for effective prediction of forces and displacement during excavation and construction and is critical to facilitating regolith sintering capabilities all of which benefit lunar infrastructure plans - Knowledge of shear strength, Mohr-Coulomb cohesion, angle of internal friction, bearing strength, bulk density, etc. is needed - Ground-based testing of various lunar simulants with relevant hardware (e.g., robotic arm tools) enables validation of technology choices, tool paths, and lunar surface construction activities - Use of Taguchi methods [1] will minimize the number of needed experiments to explore critical input parameter

Moon↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Characterization of Volatiles from Simulated Lunar Highland Melts Under Vacuum

As part of the Artemis program that returns humans to the Moon for sustained presence, the in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) pilot plant is developing hardware to test systems in relevant lunar environments. As this evolves, the ever-growing field of interest requires in-depth understanding of the environment for operations. Lunar regolith contains compounds that can be harvested as resources such as fuel, or life support and construction feedstocks. Therefore, this necessitates an understanding of its constituents and processed by-products under some of the extreme conditions imposed for resource extraction.

Oxygen Extraction↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Complete Series of NU-LHT Lunar Simulants

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) created the Constellation Program in response to the Bush Administration's A Renewed Spirit of Discovery: The President's Vision for U. S. Space Exploration, and the 2005 NASA Authorization Act from the United States Congress. As the Constellation program began its work, it was realized that the current supply of NASA lunar simulant (JSC-1) needed for testing of lunar surface system development, was almost exhausted. It was also realized that since global access was desired for future lunar exploration, both lunar mare and lunar highland simulants would be needed. Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) was selected by NASA to produce a lunar mare simulant, which was referred to as JSC-1A, as it basically recreated the original JSC-1 using the same feedstock material from volcanic vents related to Merriam Crater near Flagstaff, AZ, and the same process by Dr. James Carter at the University of Texas at Dallas. For the lunar highlands, NASA collaborated with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at the Denver Federal Center in Colorado, to develop and produce a new series of simulants.

J. E. Gruener↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

COLDArm Pressure-Sinkage Testing: Implications for Assessing Lunar Trafficability

The ability for regolith to support the movement of vehicles, known as trafficability, is commonly assessed using pressure-sinkage relationships. Trafficability on the lunar surface is controlled by the site-specific physical properties of the regolith and the geometry and mass of the roving vehicle. Lunar regolith pressure-sinkage testing can be performed with standard exploration hardware (e.g., robotic arms with scoops) and will help define exploration routes and hazard zones for rovers and astronauts, as knowledge of the sinkage of a wheel in regolith helps constrain viable operating conditions for rovers. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the necessity of in situ testing and characterization of lunar regolith physical properties for exploration and infrastructure development activities.

Regolith↗