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Results for “LUNAR TEMPERATURE”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

An experimental study of phosphate reduction and phosphorus-bearing lunar metal particles

Results are reported for two sets of experiments conducted to investigate the distribution and origin of phosphorus in lunar metal particles. The first set measured the equilibrium oxygen fugacity as a function of temperature for synthesized Fe-Ni and Fe-Ni-P alloys; the second set imposed various oxygen pressures so that the P distribution among the coexisting phases could be observed. The conditions of temperature, oxygen fugacity, and time necessary to produce P contents similar to those found in lunar metal particles are determined. The results show that: (1) the P distribution in lunar-type metal is controlled by oxygen fugacity, temperature, and bulk composition; (2) the P distribution is limited by the reaction rate at the metal surface and by the amount of phosphate in contact with the metal; (3) the nucleation and growth rate of phosphate controls the rate of P loss during oxidation; and (4) an oxygen fugacity of 10 to the -20th power atm at 950 C is required to saturate iron with P. It is concluded that a reducing species such as carbon may establish a local equilibrium and prevent oxygen communication with the surrounding rock.

Friel, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

From Oxygen Generation to Metals Production: In Situ Resource Utilization by Molten Oxide Electrolysis

For the exploration of other bodies in the solar system, electrochemical processing is arguably the most versatile technology for conversion of local resources into usable commodities: by electrolysis one can, in principle, produce (1) breathable oxygen, (2) silicon for the fabrication of solar cells, (3) various reactive metals for use as electrodes in advanced storage batteries, and (4) structural metals such as steel and aluminum. Even so, to date there has been no sustained effort to develop such processes, in part due to the inadequacy of the database. The objective here is to identify chemistries capable of sustaining molten oxide electrolysis in the cited applications and to examine the behavior of laboratory-scale cells designed to generate oxygen and to produce metal. The basic research includes the study of the underlying high-temperature physical chemistry of oxide melts representative of lunar regolith and of Martian soil. To move beyond empirical approaches to process development, the thermodynamic and transport properties of oxide melts are being studied to help set the limits of composition and temperature for the processing trials conducted in laboratory-scale electrolysis cells. The goal of this investigation is to deliver a working prototype cell that can use lunar regolith and Martian soil to produce breathable oxygen along with metal by-product. Additionally, the process can be generalized to permit adaptation to accommodate different feedstock chemistries, such as those that will be encountered on other bodies in the solar system. The expected results of this research include: (1) the identification of appropriate electrolyte chemistries; (2) the selection of candidate anode and cathode materials compatible with electrolytes named above; and (3) performance data from a laboratory-scale cell producing oxygen and metal. On the strength of these results it should be possible to assess the technical viability of molten oxide electrolysis for in situ resource utilization on the Moon and Mars. In parallel, there may be commercial applications here on earth, such as new green technologies for metals extraction and for treatment of hazardous waste, e.g., fixing heavy metals.

Khetpal, Deepak↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Using Lunar Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (LSMES) for NASA Artemis Program

The development of High temperature Superconductors (HTS) with transition temperatures >91K allows for their application in the Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) on the Moon, where temperatures range from ~40K-60K. These are well below the critical temperature, Tc for the YBa2Cu3O7-x HTS material. An HTS coil installed in a PSR would not require cooling to remain below Tc. The coil can be energized with solar panels during daylight and maintain a magnetic field during night. The coil can be loaded and unloaded in millisecond time scales. The long lifetime with minimal losses is an attractive option for NASA’s Artemis program to consider for energy management on the Moon.

High Temperature Superconductivity (HTS)↗
NASA NTRS1977

The effect of carbon on phosphate reduction

Several experiments were performed in order to evaluate the effect of carbon on phosphate reduction in synthetic systems. It was attempted to simulate in the experiments conditions occurring during lunar impact processes, but without shock pressure. Temperature, oxygen fugacity, and bulk chemistry were evaluated separately in order to determine the conditions which are suitable for carbon reduction. It appears on the basis of the results of the reported investigation that carbon can be an effective reducing agent during reheating events such as those encountered by lunar soils and breccias. Phosphate reduction may be viewed as a two-step process in which carbon is mobilized as CO during heating and preferentially dissolved in the metal phase. It then acts as a reducing agent on cooling. Gas phase transport and diffusion of carbon in metal are sufficiently rapid to allow uniform carbon distribution both within and between metal grains. The availability of metal from meteorites and carbon from the solar wind is probably sufficient to make reduction by carbon a significant process on the lunar surface.

Friel, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Test and Recommendation of Flight-forward Resistive Temperature Detector for Resource Prospector Mission

The Resource Prospector Mission (RPM) is an in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) technology demonstration mission planned to launch in 2018. The mission will use the Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) Payload to prospect for lunar volatiles such as water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. These compounds will validate ISRU capability. The payload, particularly the Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) subsystem, requires numerous temperature measurements to accurately control on-board heaters that keep the volatiles in the vapor phase to allow quantification and prevent the clogging of delivery lines. Previous spaceflight missions have proven that Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD) failure impedes mission success. The research resulted in a recommendation for a flight-forward RTD. The recommendation was based on accuracy, consistency, and ease of installation of RTDs procured from IST, QTI, and Honeywell.

LAVA↗
NASA NTRS2012

Test and Recommendation of Flight-Forward Resistive Temperature Detector for Resource Prospector Mission

The Resource Prospector Mission (RPM) is an in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) technology demonstration mission planned to launch in 2018. The mission will use the Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) Payload to prospect for lunar volatiles such as water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. These compounds will validate ISRU capability. The payload, particularly the Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) subsystem, requires numerous temperature measurements to accurately control on-board heaters that keep the volatiles in the vapor phase to allow quantification and prevent the clogging of delivery lines. Previous spaceflight missions have proven that Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD) failure impedes mission success. The research resulted in a recommendation for a flight-forward RTD. The recommendation was based on accuracy, consistency, and ease of installation of RTDs procured from IST, QTI, and Honeywell.

LAVA↗
NASA NTRS1983

Light element geochemistry and spallogenesis in lunar rocks

Abundance and isotopic compositions are measured for the very volatile elements carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in 11 lunar rocks representing a wide spectrum of textures and compositions. Samples were combusted sequentially at three temperatures in order to remove terrestrial contaminants before melting the lunar rock and liberating lunar volatiles. The combustion results indicate very little terrestrial sulfur contamination, with sulfur contents correlated with the TiO2 contents of the basalts analyzed. Sulfur isotopic compositions are remarkably uniform and similar to the Canon Diablo meteorite standard. Nitrogen levels are found to be no greater than those obtained with procedural blanks, corresponding to abundances less than 0.1 microg/g. Stable nitrogen isotope measurements indicate a spallogenic N-15 production rate of 4.1 x 10 to the -6th microg N-15/g sample/million years, in agreement with previous estimates. No indigenous carbon in excess of procedural blank levels of about 0.7 microg/g is found in lunar basalts. Levels of 1 to 5 microg/g found in highland rocks may derive from meteoritic or terrestrial sources. The average measured spallogenic C-13 production rate is 4.1 x 10 to the -6th microg C-13/g sample/million years.

Des Marais, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Process to Produce Iron Nanoparticle Lunar Dust Simulant Composite

A document discusses a method for producing nanophase iron lunar dust composite simulant by heating a mixture of carbon black and current lunar simulant types (mixed oxide including iron oxide) at a high temperature to reduce ionic iron into elemental iron. The product is a chemically modified lunar simulant that can be attracted by a magnet, and has a surface layer with an iron concentration that is increased during the reaction. The iron was found to be -iron and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The simulant produced with this method contains iron nanoparticles not available previously, and they are stable in ambient air. These nanoparticles can be mass-produced simply.

Hung, Ching-cheh↗
NASA NTRS2016

Rare Earth Element Partitioning in Lunar Minerals: An Experimental Study

The partitioning behavior of rare earth elements (REE) between minerals and melts is widely used to interpret the petrogenesis and geologic context of terrestrial and extra-terrestrial samples. REE are important tools for modelling the evolution of the lunar interior. The ubiquitous negative Eu anomaly in lunar basalts is one of the main lines of evidence to support the lunar magma ocean (LMO) hypothesis, by which the plagioclase-rich lunar highlands were formed as a flotation crust during differentiation of a global-scale magma ocean. The separation of plagioclase from the mafic cumulates is thought to be the source of the Eu depletion, as Eu is very compatible in plagioclase. Lunar basalts and volcanic glasses are commonly depleted in light REEs (LREE), and more enriched in heavy REEs (HREE). However, there is very little experimental data available on REE partitioning between lunar minerals and melts. In order to interpret the source of these distinctive REE patterns, and to model lunar petrogenetic processes, REE partition coefficients (D) between lunar minerals and melts are needed at conditions relevant to lunar processes. New data on D(sub REE) for plagioclase, and pyroxenes are now available, but there is limited available data for olivine/melt D(sub REE), particularly at pressures higher than 1 bar, and in Fe-rich and reduced compositions - all conditions relevant to the lunar mantle. Based on terrestrial data, REE are highly incompatible in olivine (i.e. D much less than 1), however olivine is the predominant mineral in the lunar interior, so it is important to understand whether it is capable of storing even small amounts of REE, and how the REEs might be fractionatied, in order to understand the trace element budget of the lunar interior. This abstract presents results from high-pressure and temperature experiments investigating REE partitioning between olivine and melt in a composition relevant to lunar magmatism.

McIntosh, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Radioisotope Power Systems to Enable Extended Lunar Science and In-Situ Resource Utilization Missions

The Moon's surface environment offers a significant challenge for most space systems and, particularly, for power technologies. First, the Moon's rotational synodic period is 27.3 days long because it is tidally-locked with Earth and thus matches its orbital period. However, for a point on the lunar surface with respect to the Sun returning to the same position in the sky, called a synodic day, is 29.5 days or 708 hours. Therefore, a lunar day is 354 hours of sunlight and 354 hours of darkness. Equatorial diurnal temperatures range from about 400K at noon to 100K during the night. Within craters and permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) temperatures can be a constant 40K or below. Sunlight in the lunar polar regions can range from total darkness in deep polar craters and at higher elevations, potentially nearly continuous conditions are possible. However local topographical features such as outcrops or more distant mountains and ridges would obscure the Sun even in these extended sunlit areas and thus create intermittent shadowed periods depending on seasonally varying Sun angle and the obscuring topographical features. Thus, the power system technology that a mission selects becomes a critical trade.

radioisotope↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Novel Hardware for a Lunar Plant Experiment

We propose an experiment, LPX (Lunar plant growth experiment), on the surface of the Moon that will conduct a fundamental investigation into the response of the plant Arabidopsis to lunar gravity and lunar radiation. For statistical significance, we will include more than 50 seeds. The experiment begins after lunar landing with water added to the seed platform and continues for 10 days or more. The growth of the plants, reaching ~ 1 cm high with typically 3-4 leaves in 10 days, will be monitored by camera and the carbon dioxide in the sealed chamber also will be monitored. The hardware for the LPX is based on proven technology flown on the ISS in Dec 2019 (Kitto et al. 2021, Life Sci. Space Res. in press) and the “Phytofuge” canister for Techshot MVP (Multi-use Variable-gravity Platform) centrifuge – both on ISS now. Both of these systems are TRL 9. This approach will allow identical units to be sent to the Moon and to be flown on ISS - allowing direct comparisons to partial gravity experiments done on the ISS experiment. Germination and growth of Arabidopsis requires temperature range of 20–25°C with the optimum being 22–23°C (Shymanovich and Kiss 2020, Gravit. & Space Res., 8, 1-7). This level of thermal control is a challenge on a small lunar lander and is effectively set by the latitude of the landing site. Given the mass and power limitations on a small lander, and the internal power of the LPX (~ 5W) the landing site needs to be between 73° and 77° − for which the noon time lunar surface temperatures are +15°C and -3°C (Hurley et al. 2015, Icarus 255,159-163). Within this range the temperature can be set with a small thermostatically-controlled heater These proposed experiments would be the first to grow plants on another planet and would provide important insights in terms of growth of plants on the Moon as part of bioregenerative life support.

Christopher P Mckay↗
NASA NTRS2008

Mechanical Properties and Durability of "Waterless Concrete"

Waterless concrete consists of molten elementary sulfur and aggregate. The aggregates in lunar environment will be lunar rocks and soil. Sulfur is present on the Moon in Troilite soil (FeS) and by oxidation soil iron and sulfur can be produced. Iron can be used to reinforce the sulfur concrete. Sulfur concrete specimens were cycled between liquid nitrogen (approximately 191 C) and room temperature (approximately 21 C) to simulate exposure to a lunar environment. Cycled and control specimens were subsequently tested in compression at room temperatures (approximately 21 C) and approximately 101 C. Test results showed that due to temperature cycling, compressive strength of cycled specimens was 20% of those non-cycled. Microscopic examination of the fracture surfaces from the cycled samples showed clear de-bonding of the sulfur from the aggregate material whereas it was seen well bonded in those non-cycled. This reduction in strength can be attributed to the large differences in thermal coefficients of expansion of the materials constituting the concrete which promoted cracking. Similar sulfur concrete mixtures were strengthened with short and long glass fibers. The glass fibers from lunar regolith simulant was melted in a 25 cc Pt-Rh crucible in a Sybron Thermoline high temperature MoSi2 furnace at melting temperatures of 1450 to 1600 C for times of 30 min to 1 hour. Glass fibers were cast from the melt into graphite crucibles and were annealed for a couple of hours at 600 C. Glass fibers and small rods were pulled from the melt. The glass melt wets the ceramic rod and long continuous glass fibers were easily hand drawn. The glass fibers were immediately coated with a protective polymer to maintain the mechanical strength. The glass fibers were used to reinforce sulfur concrete plated to improve the flexural strength of the sulfur concrete. Prisms beams strengthened with glass fibers were tested in 4-point bending test. Beams strengthened with glass fiber showed to exhibit an increase in the flexura strength by as much as 45%.

Toutanji, Houssam↗
NASA NTRS1974

Thermophysical properties of lunar media. II - Heat transfer within the lunar surface layer

Heat transfer within the lunar surface layer depends on several thermophysical properties of the lunar regolith, including the thermal conductivity, the specific heat, the thermal diffusivity, and the thermal parameter. Results of property measurements on simulated lunar materials are presented where appropriate as well as measurements made on the actual samples themselves. The variation of temperature on the moon with depth is considered, taking into account various times of the lunar day. The daily variation in temperature drops to about 1 deg at a depth of only 0.172 meters. The steady temperature on the moon below this depth is 225 K.

Cremers, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Magnetic and Moessbauer studies of Apollo 16 rock chips 60315,51 and 62295,27

Analysis of the Moessbauer spectra of two Apollo 16 rocks showed that 60315,51 is much richer in iron metal and troilite, but poorer in olivine, than 62295,27. The values of magnetic parameters, derived from hysteresis loops at 175 and 300 K, indicate the high metal contents and the predominance of coarse multidomain grains in both rocks. These coexist with a superparamagnetic grain fraction in 60315 and with a small single-domain grain fraction in 62295. The high Fe(0)/Fe(2+) ratios, the nonlinear acquisition of laboratory thermoremanence, and the drastic changes in magnetic parameters upon heating support the proposed formation of both rocks from the lunar regolith, with incorporation of shocked meteoritic metal grains during high-temperature impact events and simultaneous acquisition of magnetic remanence. Values estimated for ancient lunar magnetic fields by comparing the natural remanence with laboratory thermoremanence acquired in fields of 0.05 and 0.5 Oe, range from 0.01 to more than 1 Oe.

Brecher, A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Lunar hydrogen extraction

This paper examines the power and mass requirements of a lunar hydrogen extraction plant producing five metric tons of hydrogen per year. These power and mass requirements are based upon experimental work that determined gaseous hydrogen release rates from lunar samples at various heating rates and temperatures. An optimum heating temperature and rate can be selected to minimize the processing plant's power and mass requirements. The impact of thermal recovery on the power and mass requirements is studied, as is the use of nuclear waste heat for processing the regolith. In addition, the potential of using the extracted hydrogen in the form of methane as a propellant for a Lunar Excursion Vehicle is examined.

Snaufer, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1968

Recent results from lunar Explorer 35

Magnetic susceptibility, electrical conductivity, and internal temperature measurements showing moon as nonmagnetic, nonconducting, dielectric, and cold sphere from Explorer 35 determinations

Ness, N. F.↗