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NASA NTRS2008

Some Expected Characteristics of Lunar Dust: A Geological View Applied to Engineering

Compared to the Earth the geologic nature of the lunar regolith is quite distinct. Even though similar minerals exist on the Earth and Moon, they may have very different properties due to the absence of chemical modification in the lunar environment. The engineering properties of the lunar regolith reflect aspects of the parent rock and the consequences of hypervelocity meteor bombardment. On scales relevant to machinery and chemical processing for In-Situ Resource Utilization, ISRU (such as water production), the lunar regolith compositional range is much more restricted than terrestrial material. This fact impacts predictions of properties required by design engineers for constructing equipment for lunar use. In this paper two examples will be covered. 1) Abrasion is related to hardness and hardness is a commonly measured property for both minerals and engineering materials. Although different hardness scales are routinely employed for minerals and engineering materials, a significant amount of literature is available relating the two. As one example, we will discuss how to relate hardness to abrasion for the design of lunar equipment. We also indicate how abundant the various mineral phases are and typical size distributions for lunar regolith which will impact abrasive nature. 2) Mineral characteristics that may seem trivial to the non-geologist or material scientist may have significant bearing on ISRU processing technologies. As a second example we discuss the impact of traces of F-, Cl-, and OH-, H2O, CO2, and sulfur species which can radically alter melting points and the corrosive nature of reaction products thereby significantly changing bulk chemistry and associated processing technologies. For many engineering uses, a simulant s fidelity to bulk lunar regolith chemistry may be insufficient. Therefore, simulant users need to engage in continuing dialogue with simulant developers and geoscientists.

Street, Kenneth W.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Some Expected Characteristics of Lunar Dust: A Geological View Applied to Engineering

Compared to the Earth the geologic nature of the lunar regolith is quite distinct. Even though similar minerals exist on the Earth and Moon, they may have very different properties due to the absence of chemical modification in the lunar environment. The engineering properties of the lunar regolith reflect aspects of the parent rock and the consequences of hypervelocity meteor bombardment. On scales relevant to machinery and chemical processing for In-Situ Resource Utilization, ISRU (such as water production), the lunar regolith compositional range is much more restricted than terrestrial material. This fact impacts predictions of properties required by design engineers for constructing equipment for lunar use. In this paper two examples will be covered. 1) Abrasion is related to hardness and hardness is a commonly measured property for both minerals and engineering materials. Although different hardness scales are routinely employed for minerals and engineering materials, a significant amount of literature is available relating the two. As one example, we will discuss how to relate hardness to abrasion for the design of lunar equipment. We also indicate how abundant the various mineral phases are and typical size distributions for lunar regolith which will impact abrasive nature. 2) Mineral characteristics that may seem trivial to the non-geologist or material scientist may have significant bearing on ISRU processing technologies. As a second example we discuss the impact of traces of fluoride, chloride, and hydroxide, water, carbon dioxide, and sulfur species which can radically alter melting points and the corrosive nature of reaction products thereby significantly changing bulk chemistry and associated processing technologies. For many engineering uses, a simulant's fidelity to bulk lunar regolith chemistry may be insufficient. Therefore, simulant users need to engage in continuing dialogue with simulant developers and geoscientists.

Street, Kenneth W.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Flight Testing a Real-Time Hazard Detection System for Safe Lunar Landing on the Rocket-Powered Morpheus Vehicle

The Hazard Detection System (HDS) is a component of the ALHAT (Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology) sensor suite, which together provide a lander Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) system with the relevant measurements necessary to enable safe precision landing under any lighting conditions. The HDS consists of a stand-alone compute element (CE), an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and a gimbaled flash LIDAR sensor that are used, in real-time, to generate a Digital Elevation Map (DEM) of the landing terrain, detect candidate safe landing sites for the vehicle through Hazard Detection (HD), and generate hazard-relative navigation (HRN) measurements used for safe precision landing. Following an extensive ground and helicopter test campaign, ALHAT was integrated onto the Morpheus rocket-powered terrestrial test vehicle in March 2014. Morpheus and ALHAT then performed five successful free flights at the simulated lunar hazard field constructed at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at Kennedy Space Center, for the first time testing the full system on a lunar-like approach geometry in a relevant dynamic environment. During these flights, the HDS successfully generated DEMs, correctly identified safe landing sites and provided HRN measurements to the vehicle, marking the first autonomous landing of a NASA rocket-powered vehicle in hazardous terrain. This paper provides a brief overview of the HDS architecture and describes its in-flight performance.

Avoidance↗

NASA NTRS1992

Engineering issues for early lunar-based telescopes

Some of the key issues in the planning and construction of an early lunar astronomical observatory are identified and discussed. Recommendations are given for meeting the challenges of resolving these issues in order to make observations on the moon a reality. The need for incorporating talents from the engineering and construction communities into the space program is emphasized.

Johnson, Stewart W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

On using a pyroclastic deposit as a manned lunar base site

Hawke et al. (1990) suggest that ilmenite found in Apollo 17-type pyroclastic glass may provide feedstock for the hydrogen reduction of ilmenite process for producing lunar oxygen. They also suggest that the ilmenite may help retain solar wind hydrogen and helium which can be extracted for use at a lunar outpost or even transported back to Earth for fusion fuel in the case of helium-3. Therefore, they suggest that ilmenite-rich material may be the best candidate. Here, researchers propose a somewhat different approach. They propose that the pyroclastic glass can be reduced directly to produce oxygen and one or more metals. Sulfur would be another important byproduct of the processing. This process would eliminate the need for having specific minerals such as ilmenite or for doing any mineral concentration. The bulk pyroclastic would provide the feedstock. Some recent experiments at the Johnson Space Center suggest that an iron-rich composition would be the most suitable for this direct feedstock reduction and that the titanium content may not be important. Also, the lunar pyroclastic deposits would be extremely useful in constructing and supporting a lunar base.

Coombs, Cassandra R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Design of internal support structures for an inflatable lunar habitat

NASA has a long range goal of constructing a fully equipped, manned lunar outpost on the near side of the moon by the year 2015. The proposed outpost includes an inflatable lunar habitat to support crews during missions longer that 12 months. A design for the internal support structures of the inflatable habitat is presented. The design solution includes material selection, substructure design, assembly plan development, and concept scale model construction. Alternate designs and design solutions for each component of the design are discussed. Alternate materials include aluminum, titanium, and reinforced polymers. Vertical support alternates include column systems, truss systems, suspension systems, and lunar lander supports. Horizontal alternates include beams, trusses, floor/truss systems, and expandable trusses. Feasibility studies on each alternate showed that truss systems and expandable trusses were the most feasible candidates for conceptual design. The team based the designs on the properties of 7075 T73 aluminum. The substructure assembly plan, minimizes assembly time and allows crews to construct the habitat without the use of EVA suits. In addition to the design solutions, the report gives conclusions and recommendations for further study of the inflatable habitat design.

Cameron, Elizabeth A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Agenda of the Fourth Annual Summer Conference, NASA/USRA University Advanced Design Program

Presentations given by the participants at the fourth annual summer conference of the NASA/USRA University Advanced Design Program are summarized. The study topics include potential space and aeronautics projects which could be undertaken during a 20 to 30 year period beginning with the Space Station Initial Operating Configuration (IOC) scheduled for the early to mid-1990's. This includes system design studies for both manned and unmanned endeavors; e.g., lunar launch and landing facilities and operations, variable artificial gravity facility for the Space Station, manned Mars aircraft and delivery system, long term space habitat, construction equipment for lunar bases, Mars oxygen production system, trans-Pacific high speed civil transport, V/STOL aircraft concepts, etc.

Source record↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigation of Lunar-Inspired Geopolymer Concrete Formulations Mixed and Cured in Microgravity on the International Space Station (ISS)

The research outlined in this presentation investigates the use of various lunar regolith simulants in geopolymer lunar concrete mixes mixed and cured on the International Space Station (ISS). The motivation for this work is to study the effects of gravity on the microstructure of alkali-activated materials cured with heat, and to develop materials for the construction of long-term infrastructure on the lunar surface with in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). ISRU for construction materials reduces the cost and mass of payloads related to lunar construction. The advantage of geopolymer concrete as opposed to traditional portland cement concrete is that water acts as a medium for the polymerization reaction and leaves the system throughout the process, reducing its demand. Twelve samples of lunar regolith simulant and a solution composed of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate were sent to the ISS. The three simulants were OPRH2N, OPRL2N, and JSC-1AF, using only particles less than 53 µm in diameter to increase reactivity of the simulant. Simulant to solution ratios were determined by workability while mixing. The simulant and solution were sealed Burst Pouches® along with 2 other sealed bags to prevent material from leaking. Crew member F-14 conducted testing on the ISS by introducing the solution to the simulant in the Burst Pouch®, mixing the sample with a spatula, and then clamping the specimen in the fresh state to prevent flow inside the Burst Pouch®. These specimens were then put in a thermos heated to 80C via sealed drinking water bags to cure for 24 hours with a temperature logger. The cured specimens remained in microgravity for at least 28 days and were returned from the ISS in February 2025. The specimens were then brought to the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to analyze. Material characterization consisted of conducting Micro-CT tests of entire samples in their sealed apparatus to a resolution of 25µm. 2D image slices were saved in each orthogonal direction of each specimen at a 0.03 mm step size from the 3D model to conduct analytical porosity calculations. Representative samples from each specimen were sampled to perform helium gas pycnometery and were then mounted in resin for SEM imaging, EDS, and nanoindentation. Porosity was analyzed analytically using micromechanics modelling with the assistance of the NASA Multiscale Analysis Tool (NASMAT), as well as the NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) servers (V. Saseendran & N. Yamamoto, 2024). Density was measured using helium gas pycnometery and was then compared to the theoretical density for experimental porosity calculation. Due to the samples’ non-uniform shape being cured in a pouch, traditional compression and tensile strength testing could not be performed. Nanoindentation was conducted at Clarkson University to determine the microhardness and reduced modulus of elasticity. Results from flight samples can be compared to ground samples currently in DLR’s possession to determine the effect on microstructure from being mixed and cured in microgravity. This study gives further insight and understanding of geopolymer lunar concrete and its viability as a lunar construction material with ISRU.

Adam Johnson↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Thermoplastic Space Point Design (TSPD) Tall Tower Lunar Thermal Analysis

The Thermoplastics Development for Exploration Applications (TDEA) project seeks to advance NASA’s thermoplastic composites capabilities by developing structurally efficient joining solutions for large-scale space structures to support NASA’s future exploration missions. A key objective is to develop and understand advanced thermoplastic joining techniques relevant to space environments and applicable to unitized and/or reconfigurable composite structures. The TDEA project uses NASA Langley’s Tall Lunar Tower (TLT) concept as a target application for the design and development of in-space assembled thermoplastic composites. TLT is a 50-meter-tall tower constructed on the lunar surface near the south pole. The tower’s height at this location on the moon allows for extended durations of incident solar flux which can be used to generate power via photovoltaic arrays. The thermal environment present on lunar south pole represents a challenging environment for any space-based asset. This study provides an overview of the analysis techniques used to determine the temperature extremes, gradients, and timelines of a tall composite tower over a one-year duration at the Shackleton Connecting Ridge. The developed thermal model includes tower and lunar surface elements with anisotropic and temperature-dependent material properties and incorporates a solar vector orbit with time-varying solar flux. Study topics include: a comparison between the effects of simplified lunar surface topologies on thermal results, prediction of surface temperature values versus Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) flight data, and tower structural-thermal deformation.

Lunar↗

NASA NTRS1993

Viscous relaxation of the Moho under large lunar basins

Viscously relaxed topography on the Moon is evidence of a period in lunar history of higher internal temperatures and greater surface activity. Previous work has demonstrated the viscous relaxation of the Tranquilitatis basin surface. Profiles of the lunar Moho under nine basins were constructed from an inversion of lunar gravity data. These profiles show a pattern of increasingly subdued relief with age, for which two explanations have been proposed. First, ancient basins may have initially had extreme Moho relief like that of younger basins like Orientale, but, due to higher internal temperatures in early lunar history, this relief viscously relaxed to that observed today. Second, ductile flow in the crust immediately after basin formation resulted in an initially shallow basin and subdued mantle uplift. The intent is to test the first hypothesis.

Brown, C. David↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

In Space Manufacturing and Extraterrestrial Construction: How Did We Get Here?Where Are We? Where Should We Be Going? THE CHALLENGE: Will We Be Ready?

NASA has held multiple workshops and sought inputs from a broad spectrum of sources, including international partners, other space agencies, industry, large and small businesses, academia, and private citizens to develop its Moon to Mars Strategy and Objectives. The goals and objectives set forth in the resulting documents are “designed to achieve the vision to create a blueprint for sustained human presence and exploration throughout the solar system.” The objectives were categorized into four distinct tracks: Operations, Infrastructure, Transportation and Habitation, and Science. In addition, common themes across the objectives were captured under Recurring Tenets. Within the Infrastructure category, several objectives directly address the need for manufacturing and construction on the lunar surface to support continuous human lunar presence and a robust lunar economy. In exploring the vision for creation of on-demand infrastructure on the lunar surface and beyond, this presentation will examine the development of these capabilities, starting in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, up to the current state, and offer a perspective on the challenges facing operational implementation of these technologies. In the early 2000’s, the destination was the Moon. The International Space Station (ISS) was to be the test bed for demonstration of in space manufacturing technologies. Additive construction was in its infancy. These pioneering initiatives, having begun primarily under NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research In Situ Fabrication and Repair (ISFAR) Project, were short-lived. It was not until the early 2010’s that in space manufacturing and later extraterrestrial construction experienced renewed interest and support. At this time, the destination was Mars. This period saw the initial in space additive manufacturing experiments on the ISS, creation of a roadmap for development of in space manufacturing technologies, and development of additive construction systems for terrestrial use at scale. The period also included NASA’s 3D Printed Mars Habitat Centennial Challenge, which catalyzed interest in extraterrestrial construction. With NASA’s announcement of the intention to return to the Moon, and the subsequent release of the Artemis Accords in 2020, and the commensurate Moon to Mars Strategy, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate initiated the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII). The LSII has spurred technology development and maturation efforts across a spectrum of capabilities that would be needed to live on the lunar surface. The presentation will provide an overview of current technology developments in the areas of in space manufacturing and extraterrestrial construction. Looking forward from the current state, a perspective will be offered on capabilities that are still needed to “institutionalize” in space manufacturing and extraterrestrial construction to achieve the vision of NASA’s Moon to Mars Strategy. Finally, a challenge will be posed to the community to accelerate the development of these capabilities. When the explorers of the future need these enabling capabilities, will they be ready?

Raymond G Clinton Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2023

Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology: MMPACT Material Screening

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate “champions technologies needed to live on and explore the Moon” [1]. This includes capabilities that capitalize on existing lunar resources and carry out surface manufacturing and construction activities. The goal of the Moon-to-Mars Planetary Construction Technology (MMPACT) Project is to mature these two capabilities. The primary resource on the Moon and the primary feedstock for manufacturing and construction is regolith. In the past, astronauts launched, landed, and lived in a spacecraft. NASA envisions a future where we make living spaces on the lunar surface instead. The innovative technologies required for lunar surface construction may be something never seen before, or they may be adaptations of existing technologies. MMPACT must screen for the most feasible technologies with the earliest potential technology insertions given the ambitious goals of the Artemis campaign. This poster summarizes recent efforts to discover and document mechanical and thermal capabilities of various technologies: a laser-based vitreous material transformation from Texas-based ICON, a molten extrusion process from ICON, a mortar from MSFC, a mortar from an MSFC-Louisiana State University partnership, and a geopolymer from a MSFC-Pennsylvania State University partnership. Other testing and development activities are documented as well. [1] https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/Lunar_Surface_Innovation_Initiative

In-situ Resource Utilization↗

NASA NTRS1988

Three-legged mobile platform: SKITTER

Described herein is a system of equipment intended for site preparation and construction of a lunar base. The proximate era of lunar exploration and the initial phase of outpost habitation are addressed. Drilling, mining, and benefication of lunar soil prior to pilot-plant oxygen extraction and other soil processing techniques are included within the scope of this system's capabilities. The centerpiece of the design is the SKITTER mobile walking, site preparation, and construction planform. The SKITTER system is modular in nature and includes a series of interchangeable implements whose individual use tends to be seasonal or intermittent. The concept is analogous to the farmer's tractor and implement set. The proposed system is mechanically simple and weight efficient and the individual implements are designed to take advantage of the lunar environment while operating within the constraints imposed by that environment. The system's implement interfaces can also be used for transporting containerized cargo on the lunar surface. A proposed lunar orbit to lunar surface landing pod might also be used to deliver the walker and crane boom combination in a ready-to-work configuration.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1994

Astronomical observatories on the Moon

The Space Exploration Initiative presents an opportunity to construct astronomical telescopes on the Moon using the infrastructure provided by the lunar outpost. Small automatically deployed telescopes can be carried on the survey missions, be deployed on the lunar surface and be operated remotely from the Earth. Possibilities for early, small optical telescopes are a zenith pointed transit telescope, a student telescope, and a 0.5 to 1 meter automatic, fully steerable telescope. After the lunar outpost is established the lunar interferometers will be constructed in an evolutionary fashion. There are three lunar interferometers which have been studied. The most ambitious is the optical interferometer with a 1 to 2 -km baseline and seven 1.5 aperture elements arranged in a 'Y' configuration with a central beam combiner. The Submillimeter interferometer would use seven, 5-m reflectors in a 'Y' or circular configuration with a 1-km baseline. The Very Low Frequency (VLF) array would operate below 30 mHz with as many as 100 elements and a 200-km baseline.

Swanson, Paul N.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Lunar preform manufacturing

A design for a machine to produce hollow, continuous fiber-reinforced composite rods of lunar glass and a liquid crystalline matrix using the pultrusion process is presented. The glass fiber will be produced from the lunar surface, with the machine and matrix being transported to the moon. The process is adaptable to the low gravity and near-vacuum environment of the moon through the use of a thermoplastic matrix in fiber form as it enters the pultrusion process. With a power consumption of 5 kW, the proposed machine will run unmanned continuously in fourteen-day cycles, matching the length of lunar days. A number of dies could be included that would allow the machine to produce rods of varying diameter, I-beams, angles, and other structural members. These members could then be used for construction on the lunar surface or transported for use in orbit. The benefits of this proposal are in the savings in weight of the cargo each lunar mission would carry. The supply of glass on the moon is effectively endless, so enough rods would have to be produced to justify its transportation, operation, and capital cost. This should not be difficult as weight on lunar mission is at a premium.

Leong, Gregory N.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Exploration and Observations

The session, "Exploration and Observations" includes the following topics: 1) Charged Particle dose Measurements by the Odyssey/MARIE Instrument in Mars Orbit and Model Calculations; 2) Earth Thermal Field Variations in Dependence from Lunisolar Tides (by Vorotilovo Deep Well Observations); 3) ASTROHAB: A Modular Construction System for Lunar Bases; and 4) Solar Power Satellites for Orbital and Non-Terrestrial Applications.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2023

An Engineering Guide to Lunar Geotechnical Properties

The renewed interest in returning human and robotic explorers to the lunar surface has identified a need for a renewed understanding of lunar geotechnical properties related to landing, exploration, excavation, and construction activities on the lunar surface. This paper summarizes measurements conducted during US and Russian/Soviet landed missions as well as experiments performed on returned samples to establish fundamental geotechnical properties such as particle size distribution, particle shape, bulk density, shear strength, cohesion and bearing strength. While many of these properties are well known, how they vary with increased lunar soil depth is less understood, and those properties that vary significantly as a function of depth are explored in additional detail. Selected examples discuss mechanical excavation forces, rocket exhaust erosion forces, and the preparation of launch/landing pad surfaces, with the goal of a better understanding of lunar soil geotechnical properties that apply to large-scale exploration of the lunar surface and dictate the design of future exploration systems.

Lunar Soil↗

NASA NTRS2007

Concepts and Benefits of Lunar Core Drilling

Understanding lunar material at depth is critical to nearly every aspect of NASA s Vision and Strategic Plan. As we consider sending human s back to the Moon for brief and extended periods, we will need to utilize lunar materials in construction, for resource extraction, and for radiation shielding and protection. In each case, we will be working with materials at some depth beneath the surface. Understanding the properties of that material is critical, thus the need for Lunar core drilling capability. Of course, the science benefit from returning core samples and operating down-hole autonomous experiments is a key element of Lunar missions as defined by NASA s Exploration Systems Architecture Study. Lunar missions will be targeted to answer specific questions concerning lunar science and re-sources.

McNamara, K. M.↗