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Sibille, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Sibille, L..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2015

Swamp Works: A New Approach to Develop Space Mining and Resource Extraction Technologies at the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

The first steps for In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on target bodies such as the Moon, Mars and Near Earth Asteroids (NEA), and even comets, involve the same sequence of steps as in the terrestrial mining of resources. First exploration including prospecting must occur, and then the resource must be acquired through excavation methods if it is of value. Subsequently a load, haul and dump sequence of events occurs, followed by processing of the resource in an ISRU plant, to produce useful commodities. While these technologies and related supporting operations are mature in terrestrial applications, they will be different in space since the environment and indigenous materials are different than on Earth. In addition, the equipment must be highly automated, since for the majority of the production cycle time, there will be no humans present to assist or intervene. This space mining equipment must withstand a harsh environment which includes vacuum, radical temperature swing cycles, highly abrasive lofted dust, electrostatic effects, van der Waals forces effects, galactic cosmic radiation, solar particle events, high thermal gradients when spanning sunlight terminators, steep slopes into craters / lava tubes and cryogenic temperatures as low as 40 K in permanently shadowed regions. In addition the equipment must be tele-operated from Earth or a local base where the crew is sheltered. If the tele-operation occurs from Earth then significant communications latency effects mandate the use of autonomous control systems in the mining equipment. While this is an extremely challenging engineering design scenario, it is also an opportunity, since the technologies developed in this endeavor could be used in the next generations of terrestrial mining equipment, in order to mine deeper, safer, more economical and with a higher degree of flexibility. New space technologies could precipitate new mining solutions here on Earth. The NASA KSC Swamp Works is an innovation environment and methodology, with associated laboratories that uses lean development methods and creativity-enhancing processes to invent and develop new solutions for space exploration. This paper will discuss the Swamp Works approach to developing space mining and resource extraction systems and the vision of space development it serves. The ultimate goal of the Swamp Works is to expand human civilization into the solar system via the use of local resources utilization. By mining and using the local resources in situ, it is conceivable that one day the logistics supply train from Earth can be eliminated and Earth independence of a space-based community will be enabled.

Resource Extraction↗
NASA NTRS2015

Aram Chaos: a Long Lived Subsurface Aqueous Environment with Strong Water Resources Potential for Human Missions on Mars

Aram Chaos, Mars is a crater 280 kilometers in diameter with elevations circa. minus 2 to minus 3 kilometers below datum that provides a compelling landing site for future human explorers as it features multiple scientific regions of interest (ROI) paired with a rich extensible Resource ROI that features poly-hydrated sulfates [1]. The geologic history of Aram Chaos suggests several past episodes of groundwater recharge and infilling by liquid water, ice, and other materials [1-3]. The creation of the fractured region with no known terrestrial equivalent may have been caused by melting of deep ice reservoirs that triggered the collapse of terrain followed by catastrophic water outflows over the region. Aram Chaos is of particular scientific interest because it is hypothesized that the chaotic terrain may be the source of water that contributed to the creation of nearby valleys such as Ares Vallis flowing toward Chryse Planitia. The liquid water was likely sourced as groundwater and therefore represents water derived from a protected subsurface environment making it a compelling astrobiological site [2]. The past history of water is also represented by high concentrations of hematite, Fe-oxyhydroxides, mono-hydrated and poly-hydrated sulfates [1, 2]. Poly-hydrated sulfates are likely to contain abundant water that evolves at temperatures below 500 degrees Centigrade thus conferring Aram Chaos a potentially high value for early in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) [4]. The geologic history also calls for future prospecting of deep ice deposits and possibly liquid water via deep drilling. The most recent stratigraphic units in the central part of Aram Chaos are not fractured, and are part of a dome-shaped formation that features bright, poorly-consolidated material that contains both hydrated sulfates and ferric oxides according to OMEGA (Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité) data [5]. These surface material characteristics are preliminary indications of their potential use in civil engineering activities that involve regolith moving and hauling, while further study is needed to assess traverse-ability challenges. The widespread distribution of sulfates is also of interest as a resource for the use of sulfur as a binding compound in regolith-based concrete for constructions. The terrain depressions caused by the rock fracturing events may challenge surface mobility but also suggest the possibility of using such natural features for additional shielding from space radiation and as emplacement of nuclear surface power reactors for the same reason. The high concentration of hematite (up to 16 percent) in some of the smoother recent terrains of the central part of Aram Chaos [2] is a favorable attribute for metal extraction ISRU to create iron-based feedstock for in-situ fabrication of replacement parts or their repairs. Preliminary data on Aram Chaos indicate that it offers a combination of many critical criteria for human missions to the surface of Mars: equatorial region at low Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), evidence of hydrated minerals over large areas and at high concentrations tied to historic evidence of liquid water over long periods.

Sibille, L.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials: Recommendations for Standardization, Production, and Usage

Experience gained during the Apollo program demonstrated the need for extensive testing of surface systems in relevant environments, including regolith materials similar to those encountered on the lunar surface. As NASA embarks on a return to the Moon, it is clear that the current lunar sample inventory is not only insufficient to support lunar surface technology and system development, but its scientific value is too great to be consumed by destructive studies. Every effort must be made to utilize standard simulant materials, which will allow developers to reduce the cost, development, and operational risks to surface systems. The Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials Workshop held in Huntsville, AL, on January 24 26, 2005, identified the need for widely accepted standard reference lunar simulant materials to perform research and development of technologies required for lunar operations. The workshop also established a need for a common, traceable, and repeatable process regarding the standardization, characterization, and distribution of lunar simulants. This document presents recommendations for the standardization, production and usage of lunar regolith simulant materials.

Sibille, L.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Development of Standardized Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials

Lunar exploration requires scientific and engineering studies using standardized testing procedures that ultimately support flight certification of technologies and hardware. It is necessary to anticipate the range of source materials and environmental constraints that are expected on the Moon and Mars, and to evaluate in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) coupled with testing and development. Physical properties of the regolith dominate processes such as excavation and drilling, while chemical properties dominate processes such as elemental extraction. We describe here the development of standardized lunar regolith simulant (SLRS) materials that are traceable interlaboratory standards for testing and technology development. These SLRS materials must simulate the lunar regolith in terms of physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. A comprehensive simulant development program has been outlined and is in progress. A summary of these issues is contained in the 2005 Workshop on Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials

Carpenter, P.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Characterization of Standardized Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials

Lunar exploration requires scientific and engineering studies using standardized testing procedures that ultimately support flight certification of technologies and hardware. This motivates the development of traceable, standardized lunar regolith simulant (SLRS) materials. For details, refer to the 2005 Workshop on Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials.

Carpenter, P.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Development of Standardized Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials

Lunar exploration requires studies using standardized testing procedures. Previous lunar simulants focused on physical aspects of the lunar regolith. Renewed lunar exploration requires standardized lunar regolith simulant (SLRS) materials that simulate the physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of the regolith [l]. A root simulant models an end-member, and a derivative is formed by addition of material [2]. The 2005 Workshop recommended a low-Ti mare basalt and a high-Ca highland anorthosite set of roots. Derivatives involve addition of ilmenite and glassy agglutinates [3]. An ideal SLRS material is homogeneous. Geochemical standards are finely-ground to reduce chemical variability, but lunar simulants have a grain size variation and mineralogy that must match the lunar regolith. The simulant homogeneity is monitored using major, minor, and trace element data of progressively smaller samples compared to bulk material. Both chemical and geotechnical properties depend on the contrast from grain to grain. The variability of simulant material is an inherent property that must be taken into account. Simulant production requires monitoring of adherence to simulant requirements and homogeneity during production. Quality control establishes a traceability to a master set of reference standards.

Carpenter, P.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Development of Standardized Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials

Lunar exploration requires scientific and engineering studies using standardized testing procedures that ultimately support flight certification of technologies and hardware. It is necessary to anticipate the range of source materials and environmental constraints that are expected on the Moon and Mars, and to evaluate in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) coupled with testing and development. We describe here the development of standardized lunar regolith simulant (SLRS) materials that are traceable inter-laboratory standards for testing and technology development. These SLRS materials must simulate the lunar regolith in terms of physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. A summary of these issues is contained in the 2005 Workshop on Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials [l]. Lunar mare basalt simulants MLS-1 and JSC-1 were developed in the late 1980s. MLS-1 approximates an Apollo 11 high-Ti basalt, and was produced by milling of a holocrystalline, coarse-grained intrusive gabbro (Fig. 1). JSC-1 approximates an Apollo 14 basalt with a relatively low-Ti content, and was obtained from a glassy volcanic ash (Fig. 2). Supplies of MLS-1 and JSC-1 have been exhausted and these materials are no longer available. No highland anorthosite simulant was previously developed. Upcoming lunar polar missions thus require the identification, assessment, and development of both mare and highland simulants. A lunar regolith simulant is manufactured from terrestrial components for the purpose of simulating the physical and chemical properties of the lunar regolith. Significant challenges exist in the identification of appropriate terrestrial source materials. Lunar materials formed under comparatively reducing conditions in the absence of water, and were modified by meteorite impact events. Terrestrial materials formed under more oxidizing conditions with significantly greater access to water, and were modified by a wide range of weathering processes. The composition space of lunar materials can be modeled by mixing programs utilizing a low-Ti basalt, ilmenite, KREEP component, high-Ca anorthosite, and meteoritic components. This approach has been used for genetic studies of lunar samples via chemical and modal analysis. A reduced composition space may be appropriate for simulant development, but it is necessary to determine the controlling properties that affect the physical, chemical and mineralogical components of the simulant.

Carpenter, P.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Present Status of Lunar Regolith Simulants, Workshop Overview and Objectives

As NASA embarks on a new phase of Space Exploration aiming at establishing a long- term human presence on the Moon and Mars, we face some immediate challenges in the development of tbe technologies that will take us there. Among these challenges, the lack of accepted reference materials that simulate the lunar soil and regolith is a significant one that must be addressed now. The workshop organized today focuses on defining these materials for the use of NASA and other organizations involved in research and development efforts of lunar technologies. The range of these technologies is vast and so is the variety of lunar materials. The gathering of experts from a large number of disciplines is a pre-requisite to achieve a credible consensus on this issue and be able to make the right recommendations for NASA management as they consider solutions to the development and usage of these specific materials.

Sibille, L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

The Status of Lunar Simulants: Conclusions and Recommendations from the 2005 Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials Workshop

No coordinated program currently exists in the U.S.A to define reference materials to be used as analogs of lunar materials. While such efforts have existed at different times in the past (Apollo Landing Module and Lunar Rover programs and NASA's Space Initiative in the early 1990's), the need for mineral materials chosen to simulate the characteristics of lunar regoliths is a pressing issue that must be addressed today through the collaboration of scientists, engineers and program managers. The 2005 Lunar Regolith Materials Workshop was held at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL on January 24-26,2005 to launch a focused effort of defining the requirements of lunar >simulant materials and make specific recommendations to NASA Headquarters for their production. Nearly 100 scientists and engineers worked during 3 days to accomplish these goals. Their conclusions and recommendations will be presented.

Sibille, L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Simulant Materials of Lunar Dust: Requirements and feasibility

As NASA turns its exploration ambitions towards the Moon once again, the research and development of new technologies for lunar operations face the challenge of meeting the milestones of a fast-pace schedule, reminiscent of the 1960 s Apollo program. While the lunar samples returned by the Apollo and Luna missions have revealed much about the Moon, these priceless materials exist in too scarce quantities to be used for technology development and testing. The need for mineral materials chosen to simulate the characteristics of lunar regoliths is a pressing issue that must be addressed today through the collaboration of scientists, engineers and program managers. While the larger size fraction of the lunar regolith has been reproduced in several simulants in the past, little attention has been paid to the fines fraction, commonly refered to as lunar dust. As reported by McKay, this fraction of the lunar regolith below 20 microns can represent upto 30% by mass of the total regolith mass. The issue of reproducing the properties of these fines for research and technology development purposes was addressed by the recently held Workshop on Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials at Marshall Space Flight Center. Preliminary conclusions from the workshop and con- side-rations concerning the feasibility of producing such materials will be presented here.

Sibille, L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDIZED LUNAR REGOLITH SIMULANT MATERIALS

Lunar exploration activities require scientific and engineering studies that use standardized testing procedures and ultimately support flight certification of hardware and the development of technologies for their use on the lunar surface. It is necessary to anticipate the full range of source materials and environmental constraints that are expected on the Moon and Mars, and to evaluate in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) coupled with testing and development. Historical use of lunar simulants has focused on physical aspects of the lunar regolith for landing and transportation activities. Lunar mare simulants MLS-1 and JSC-1 have been developed, but supplies have been exhausted. Renewed emphasis on exploration and ISRU activities requires development of standardized simulant reference materials that are traceable interlaboratory standards for testing and simulate the lunar regolith in terms of physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. This new generation of lunar regolith simulants must therefore support both technological development and testing methods. These issues were extensively discussed at the 2005 Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials Workshop.

Carpenter, P.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Toward a Suite of Standard Lunar Regolith Simulants for NASA's Lunar Missions: Recommendations of the 2005 Workshop of Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials

As NASA turns its exploration ambitions towards the Moon once again, the research and development of new technologies for lunar operations face the challenge of meeting the milestones of a fast-pace schedule, reminiscent of the 1960's Apollo program. While the lunar samples returned by the Apollo and Luna missions have revealed much about the Moon, these priceless materials exist in too scarce quantities to be used for technology development and testing. The need for mineral materials chosen to simulate the characteristics of lunar regoliths is a pressing issue that is being addressed today through the collaboration of scientists, engineers and NASA program managers. The issue of reproducing the properties of lunar regolith for research and technology development purposes was addressed by the recently held Workshop on Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials at Marshall Space Flight Center. The conclusions from the workshop and considerations concerning the feasibility (both technical and programmatic) of producing such materials will be presented here.

Schlagheck, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Synthesis of Sol-Gel Precursors for Ceramics from Lunar and Martian Soil Simulars

Recent NASA mission plans for the human exploration of our Solar System has set new priorities for research and development of technologies necessary to enable a long-term human presence on the Moon and Mars. The recovery and processing of metals and oxides from mineral sources on other planets is under study to enable use of ceramics, glasses and metals by explorer outposts. We report initial results on the production of sol-gel precursors for ceramic products using mineral resources available in martian or lunar soil. The presence of SO2, TiO2, and Al2O3 in both martian (44 wt.% SiO2, 1 wt.% TiO2, 7 wt.% Al2O3) and lunar (48 wt.% SiO2, 1.5 wt.% TiO2, 16 wt.% Al2O3) soils and the recent developments in chemical processes to solubilize silicates using organic reagents and relatively little energy indicate that such an endeavor is possible. In order to eliminate the risks involved in the use of hydrofluoric acid to dissolve silicates, two distinct chemical routes are investigated to obtain soluble silicon oxide precursors from lunar and martian soil simulars. Clear solutions of sol-gel precursors have been obtained by dissolution of silica from lunar soil similar JSC-1 in basic ethylene glycol (C2H4(OH)2) solutions to form silicon glycolates. Similarly, sol-gel solutions produced from martian soil simulars reveal higher contents of iron oxides. Characterization of the precursor molecules and efforts to further concentrate and hydrolyze the products to obtain gel materials will be presented for evaluation as ceramic precursors.

Sibille, L.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Synthesis of Sol-Gel Precursors for Ceramics from Lunar and Martian Soil Simulars

Recent NASA mission plans for the human exploration of our Solar System has set new priorities for research and development of technologies necessary to enable a long-term human presence on the Moon and Mars. The recovery and processing of metals and oxides from mineral sources on other planets is under study to enable use of ceramics, glasses and metals by explorer outposts. We report initial results on the production of sol-gel precursors for ceramic products using mineral resources available in martian or lunar soil. The presence of SiO2, TiO2, and Al2O3 in both martian (44 wt.% SiO2, 1 wt.% TiO2,7 wt.% Al2O3) and lunar (48 wt.% SiO2, 1.5 wt.% TiO2, 16 wt.% Al2O3) soils and the recent developments in chemical processes to solubilize silicates using organic reagents and relatively little energy indicate that such an endeavor is possible. In order to eliminate the risks involved in the use of hydrofluoric acid to dissolve silicates, two distinct chemical routes are investigated to obtain soluble silicon oxide precursors from lunar and martian soil simulars. Clear solutions of sol-gel precursors have been obtained by dissolution of silica from lunar soil simular in basic ethylene glycol (C2H4(OH)2) solutions to form silicon glycolates. Similarly, sol-gel solutions produced from martian soil simulars reveal higher contents of iron oxides. The elemental composition and structure of the precursor molecules were characterized. Further concentration and hydrolysis of the products was performed to obtain gel materials for evaluation as ceramic precursors.

Sibille, L.↗
NASA NTRS2001

The Effect of Microgravity on the Growth of Silica Nanostructures

The process of the formation of structures from coagulating ensembles is fundamentally important since the collective behavior of the constituents often results in dramatically improved or unusual mechanical, thermal, chemical, and optical properties. In this study we examine the effect of microgravity on the formation of silica structures, specifically particles and gels.

Smith, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Porosity and Variations in Microgravity Aerogel Nano-Structures: New Laser Speckle Characterization Methods - 2

The transition from sol to gel is a process that is critical to the properties of engineered nanomaterials, but one with few available techniques for observing the dynamic processes occurring during the evolution of the gel network. Specifically, the observation of various cluster aggregation models, such as diffusion-limited and reaction-limited cluster growth can be quite difficult. This can be rather important as the actual aggregation model can dramatically influence the mechanical properties of gels, and is significantly affected by the presence of convective flows, or their absence in microgravity. We have developed two new non-intrusive optical methods for observing the aggregation processes within gels in real time. These make use of the dynamic behavior of laser speckle patterns produced when an intense laser source is passed through a gelling sol. The first method is a simplified time-correlation measurement, where the speckle pattern is observed using a CCD camera and information on the movement of the scattering objects is readily apparent. This approach is extremely sensitive to minute variations in the flow field as the observed speckle pattern is a diffraction-based image, and is therefore sensitive to motions within the sol on the order of the wavelength of the probing light. Additionally, this method has proven useful in determining a precise time for the gel-point, an event often difficult to measure. Monitoring the evolution of contrast within the speckle field is another method that has proven useful for studying aeration. In this case, speckle contrast is dependent upon the size (correlation length) and number of scattering centers, increasing with increasing size, and decreasing with increasing numbers. The dynamic behavior of cluster growth in gels causes both of these to change simultaneously with time, the exact rate of which is determined by the specific aggregation model involved. Actual growth processes can now be observed, and the effects of varying gravity fields on the growth processes qualitatively described. Results on preliminary ground-based measurements have been obtained.

Hunt, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Development of Metal Casting Molds By Sol-Gel Technology Using Planetary Resources

Metals extracted from planetary soils will eventually need to be casted and shaped in-situ to produce useful products. In response to this challenge, we propose to develop and demonstrate the manufacturing of a specific product using Lunar and Martian soil simulants, i.e. a mold for the casting of metal and alloy parts, which will be an indispensable tool for the survival of outposts on the Moon and Mars. Drawing from our combined knowledge of sol-gel and metal casting technologies, we set out to demonstrate the extraordinary potential of mesoporous materials such as aerogels to serve as efficient casting molds as well as fulfilling numerous other needs of an autonomous planetary outpost.

Sibille, L.↗