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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Analytical, Experimental, and Modelling Studies of Lunar and Terrestrial Rocks

The goal of our research has been to understand the paths and the processes of planetary evolution that produced planetary surface materials as we find them. Most of our work has been on lunar materials and processes. We have done studies that obtain geological knowledge from detailed examination of regolith materials and we have reported implications for future sample-collecting and on-surface robotic sensing missions. Our approach has been to study a suite of materials that we have chosen in order to answer specific geologic questions. We continue this work under NAG5-4172. The foundation of our work has been the study of materials with precise chemical and petrographic analyses, emphasizing analysis for trace chemical elements. We have used quantitative models as tests to account for the chemical compositions and mineralogical properties of the materials in terms of regolith processes and igneous processes. We have done experiments as needed to provide values for geochemical parameters used in the models. Our models take explicitly into account the physical as well as the chemical processes that produced or modified the materials. Our approach to planetary geoscience owes much to our experience in terrestrial geoscience, where samples can be collected in field context and sampling sites revisited if necessary. Through studies of terrestrial analog materials, we have tested our ideas about the origins of lunar materials. We have been mainly concerned with the materials of the lunar highland regolith, their properties, their modes of origin, their provenance, and how to extrapolate from their characteristics to learn about the origin and evolution of the Moon's early igneous crust. From this work a modified model for the Moon's structure and evolution is emerging, one of globally asymmetric differentiation of the crust and mantle to produce a crust consisting mainly of ferroan and magnesian igneous rocks containing on average 70-80% plagioclase, with a large, mafic, trace-element-rich geochemical province, and a regolith that globally contains trace-element-rich material distributed from this province by the Imbrium basin-forming impact. This contrasts with earlier models of a concentrically zoned Moon with a crust of ferroan anorthosite overlying a layer of urKREEP overlying ultramafic cumulates. From this work, we have learned lessons useful for developing strategies for studying regolith materials that help to maximize the information available about both the evolution of the regolith and the igneous differentiation of the planet. We believe these lessons are useful in developing strategies for on-surface geological, mineralogical, and geochemical studies, as well. The main results of our work are given in the following brief summaries of major tasks. Detailed accounts of these results have been submitted in the annual progress reports.

Haskin, Larry A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Orbital studies of lunar magnetism

Limitations of present lunar magnetic maps are considered. Optimal processing of satellite derived magnetic anomaly data is also considered. Studies of coastal and core geomagnetism are discussed. Lunar remanent and induced lunar magnetization are included.

Mcleod, M. G.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Bio-inspired Surface Structures to Mitigate Interfacial Particle Adhesion and Erosion - A Review

Lunar dust known as regolith is a huge challenge for lunar exploration missions. Formed over millennia by a complex process involving impacts of meteoroids and micrometeoroids on the lunar surface, lunar dust is porous, highly abrasive with sharp jagged edges, chemically reactive, electrostatically charged and sometimes magnetic. The chemical composition and thickness of the dust layer also varies in different regions of the lunar surface. From samples obtained by previous lunar missions, the average particle size is below 100 microns. This dust has the tendency to strongly adhere to any exposed surfaces, and often degrades the material functionality to eventually cause failure. Any material on the lunar surface is also subject to harsh temperature cycles ranging from -178 ̊C to + 123 ̊C and extreme ultraviolet radiation. While on the lunar surface, different classes of materials would be required for different applications. Advanced materials have been and will be used throughout the lunar lander, habitat, and mission equipment. Examples include: polymeric materials for astronaut protective clothing; metals and ceramics for the lunar lander legs and habitats, and excavating equipment; and semiconductors for solar panels and on-board electronics. In all these applications, the surfaces of the materials are expected or understood to be exposed to the extreme lunar environment condition that includes the regolith dust. During the Apollo missions, the dust clung to and abraded the astronaut’s suits, degraded seals, optics, clogged sensors and reduced performance of thermal radiators. The lunar dust adheres to the surface by various mechanisms, which include electrostatic and Coulombic interactions, Van-der-Waals forces, magnetic forces, mechanical interlocking, chemical bonding and donor-acceptor interactions. There are three primary strategies for developing technologies to minimize the lunar dust adhesion: active, passive and a combination of active and passive. In the active approach, an external energy is needed to prevent or remove particles from collecting on the surface. Mechanically powered brushes and electrodynamic dust screens are two examples. In the passive approach, no external power is needed, and the material surface properties are able to mitigate dust adhesion. A well-known example of this strategy is the low work function coatings for non-stick surfaces. In most cases a combination of active and passive methods might be needed to optimally manage the lunar regolith. The passive method is significantly more attractive as it does not require any external power or an additional control subsystem. These approaches optimize the mission payload and reduce risk. Surface modification to minimize the dust adhesion is thus very important to lunar missions. Here, naturally evolved surface structures might provide guidance for solutions. There are several factors that have to be considered for minimizing particle adhesion to a surface. These include the substrate material properties, surface topography, chemistry, and the characteristics of the adhering particles. When engineering a surface, the substrate material chosen would be dependent on the needs of the application. Tailoring the surface microstructure or chemistry opens up more possibilities for its optimal utilization

Lunar Dust↗
NASA NTRS2011

What Will LADEE Tell Us About the Lunar Atmosphere?

The only species that have been confirmed in the lunar exosphere are Na, K, Ar, and He. However, models for the production and loss of lunar regolith-derived exospheric species from source processes including micrometeoroid impact vaporization, sputtering, and, for Na and K, photon-stimulated desorption, predict a host of other species should exist in the lunar exosphere. Assuming that loss processes are limited to ballistic escape, photoionization, and recycling to the surface, we have computed column abundances and compared them to published upper limits from the Moon and to detected abundances from Mercury. Our results suggest that available measurements often do not constrain models, and underline the need for improved spectroscopic measurements of the lunar exosphere. Such investigations are planned by the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft. Our calculations indicate that LADEE measurements promise to make definitive observations or set stringent upper limits for all regolith-driven exospheric species because of their favorable signal to noise ratio. Our models, along with LADEE observations, will constrain assumed model parameters for the Moon, such as sticking coefficients, source processes, and velocity distributions.

FROM↗
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 NTRS2005

Phase Equilibrium Investigations of Planetary Materials

This grant provided funds to carry out phase equilibrium studies on the processes of chemical differentiation of the moon and the meteorite parent bodies, during their early evolutionary history. Several experimental studies examined processes that led to the formation of lunar ultramafic glasses. Phase equilibrium studies were carried out on selected low-Ti and high-Ti lunar ultramafic glass compositions to provide constraints on the depth range, temperature and processes of melt generation and/or assimilation. A second set of experiments examined the role of sulfide melts in core formation processes in the earth and terrestrial planets. The major results of each paper are discussed, and copies of the papers are attached as Appendix I.

Grove, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 21st, Houston, TX, Mar. 12-16, 1990, Proceedings

The present conference on lunar and planetary science discusses the geology and geophysics of Venus; the lunar highlands and regolith; magmatic processes of the moon and meteorites; remote sensing of the moon and Mars; chondrites, cosmic dust, and comets; ammonia-water mixtures; and the evolution of volcanism, tectonics, and volatiles on Mars. Attention is given to volcanism on Venus, pristine moon rocks, the search for Crisium Basin ejecta, Apollo 14 glasses, lunar anorthosites, the sources of mineral fragments in impact melts 15445 and 15455, and argon adsorption in the lunar atmosphere. Also discussed are high-pressure experiments on magnesian eucrite compositions, the early results of thermal diffusion in metal-sulfide liquids, preliminary results of imaging spectroscopy of the Humorum Basin region of the moon, high-resolution UV-visible spectroscopy of lunar red spots, and a radar-echo model for Mars. Other topics addressed include nitrogen isotopic signatures in the Acapulco Meteorite, tridymite and maghemite formation in an Fe-SiO smoke, and the enigma of mottled terrain on Mars.

Ryder, Graham↗
NASA NTRS2010

NASA Lunar Regolith Simulant Program

Lunar regolith simulant production is absolutely critical to returning man to the Moon. Regolith simulant is used to test hardware exposed to the lunar surface environment, simulate health risks to astronauts, practice in situ resource utilization (ISRU) techniques, and evaluate dust mitigation strategies. Lunar regolith simulant design, production process, and management is a cooperative venture between members of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The MSFC simulant team is a satellite of the Dust group based at Glenn Research Center. The goals of the cooperative group are to (1) reproduce characteristics of lunar regolith using simulants, (2) produce simulants as cheaply as possible, (3) produce simulants in the amount needed, and (4) produce simulants to meet users? schedules.

Edmunson, J.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Lunar Site Selection

Lunar site selection is an iterative process that evolves as we learn about vehicle capabilities, objectives, and architecture use cases and functions. Selecting sites for lunar operations requires identifying locations that would enable stakeholders to address one or more of NASA’s Moon to Mars Objectives: in essence, “where we want to go,” balanced with locations where safe lunar landings can be conducted, or “where we can go.”

Jacob Elvin Bleacher↗
NASA NTRS1978

Comparative planetology: Significance for terrestrial geology

The crustal evolution of the terrestrial planets increase in complexity and duration with increasing size and mass of the planet. The lunar and mercurian surfaces are largely the result of intense, post-differentiation impact bombardment and subsequent volcanic filling of major impact basins. Mars, being larger, has evolved further: crustal uplifts, rifting, and shield volcanoes have begun to modify its largely Moon-like surface. The Earth is the large end-number of this sequence, where modern plate tectonic processes have erased the earlier lunar and martian type of surfaces. Fundamental problems of the origin of terrestrial continents, ocean basins, and plate tectonics are now addressed within the context of the evolutionary pattern of the terrestrial planets.

Frey, H. V.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Chemical Reactivity of In-Situ Lunar Dust for Biotoxicity Assessment

Introduction: How does the chemical reactivity of in-situ lunar dust compare to Apollo samples currently stored in curation facilities here on Earth? Essential investigations of this question will help us to further mitigate exploration risks for future human explorers on the Moon and will also provide critical information for astrobiologists and space biologists using the Moon for scientific inquiry. Discussion: Apollo 14 dust biotoxicity studies, carried out by the NASA Lunar Airborne Dust Toxici-ty Assessment Group (LADTAG), included numerous physiochemical studies[1] and cellular and animal ex-periments. Intratracheal instillation [2] and inhalation studies [3] in rats both showed Apollo 14 dust to be intermediate in toxicity compared to low-tox titanium dusts and high-tox quartz dusts of similar particle siz-es. The collective results were used in models [4] to establish a safe exposure limit for astronauts [5]. Alt-hough LADTAG took extensive steps to preserve what chemical reactivity may still have existed in the sam-ples, it is simply unknown if they possessed true in-situ chemical reactivity or if that reactivity has de-cayed. Initial gas loss on collection and other altera-tions, and even intermittent exposure to Earth-normal conditions during subsequent decades of handling, obscure a forensic reconstruction of the initial state. Because a mineral dust’s chemical reactivity influ-ences its biotoxicity [6], researchers have developed methods to “activate” lunar dust and simulants [7][8]. Past studies that modeled impact processes and radia-tion [9] in the lunar environment suggest that in-situ lunar dust is likely to be more chemically reactive than Earth-exposed samples. Because of these results, in-situ measurements are warranted [10]. Other studies have examined the hydroxyl generating capability of iron bearing mineral phases [11][12] and further em-phasize the role iron plays in chemical reactivity of lunar material, as well as decay of chemical reactivity in mineral dusts [12]. Recent observations of the lunar surface reveal the presence of hematite [13], a finding that further supports the hypothesis that in-situ lunar dust is reactive. Since the lunar surface is heterogene-ous, dust biotoxicity is expected to vary from site to site [14] due to particle size, mineralogy, physical characteristics, degree of space weathering, and chemi-cal reactivity (Figure 1). This circumstance dictates dust assessments at a suite of lunar sites enabled by upcoming NASA and commercial lunar payload ser-vices (CLPS) opportunities. Dose, location, and dura-tion of particle exposure will also affect biological responses. In-situ chemical reactivity measurements can inform cross-cutting collaborative research cam-paigns such as astrobiology studies examining regolith interactions with organisms and its ability to preserve chemical and structural biomarkers, as well as space biology investigations that examine regolith-microbe interactions relating to life support systems, plant growth, biomining, and development of regolith bio-composites. Figure 1: Environment conditions on the lunar surface that may alter regolith reactivity. Summary A series of in-situ measurements of lu-nar dust free radical chemistry at future Artemis and CLPS landing sites, combined with LADTAG-like studies of freshly collected lunar dust specimens, will reveal the true chemical reactivity of in-situ lunar dust and generate scientific data that can be compared to the chemical reactivity and biotoxicity of samples from Apollo landing sites. Furthermore, results from in situ measurements and biotoxicity studies of freshly col-lected specimens can also be used to validate, or re-quire revision of, the current astronaut permissible exposure limit [15]. References: [1] McKay D et al (2015), Acta As-tronaut 107:163–176. [2] Rask J et al (2013), LPSC, p 3062. [3] Lam CW et al (2013), Inhal Toxicol 25:661–678. [4] James JT, et. al. (2013) , Inhal Toxicol 25:243–256. [5] Scully RR, et.al. (2013), Inhal Toxi-col 25:785–793. [6] Porter, D. W., et.al., (2002), Tox-icology 175, 63–71. [7] Wallace WT, et.al., (2009), Meteorit Planet Sci 44:961–970. [8] Wallace WT, et.al., (2010), Earth Planet Sci Lett 295:571–577. [9] Loftus D, Rask J, et.al., (2010), Earth Moon Planet 107:95–105. [10] Rask J, et.al., (2009) LEAG p 57. [11] Turci F, et.a., (2015), Astrobiology. 2015;15(5):371-380. [12] Hendrix DA, et.al., (2019), Geohealth. 2019;3(1):28-42. [13] Li, S., et.al., (2020), Science advances, 6(36), p.eaba1940. [14] Rask J. (2018), In: Cudnik B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Lunar Science. Springer, Cham. [15] Rask, J, (2020), LPI, Artemis III Sci. def. paper 2120.

chemical reactivity↗
NASA NTRS1975

The formation of lunar breccias - Sintering and crystallization kinetics

The process of clastic breccia formation by viscous sintering in a stress-free environment is analyzed by treating crystallization and sintering as concurrent, competing processes. The kinetic analysis of crystallization is based on the construction of continuous cooling curves corresponding to the degree of crystallinity observed in the matrix of the breccia. These curves are obtained from corresponding time-temperature-transformation curves, which in turn are constructed from measured values of the crystal growth rate together with calculated values of the nucleation frequency. The kinetic analysis of sintering is based on a modification of the Frenkel (1945) treatment of viscous sintering appropriate for conditions of continuous cooling. The analysis is applied to Lunar Composition 70019 to illustrate the approach. It is shown that it is possible from the kinetic analysis to estimate both the rate at which a given breccia cooled and the minimum temperature at which the matrix particles came in contact. The results obtained for Lunar Composition 70019 seem physically reasonable and suggest that this sample cooled on the surface of the moon in its present form rather than buried in an ejecta blanket from which it was later excavated.

Uhlmann, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lunar-derived titanium alloys for hydrogen storage

Hydrogen gas, which plays an important role in many projected lunar power systems and industrial processes, can be stored in metallic titanium and in certain titanium alloys as an interstitial hydride compound. Storing and retrieving hydrogen with titanium-iron alloy requires substantially less energy investment than storage by liquefaction. Metal hydride storage systems can be designed to operate at a wide range of temperatures and pressures. A few such systems have been developed for terrestrial applications. A drawback of metal hydride storage for lunar applications is the system's large mass per mole of hydrogen stored, which rules out transporting it from earth. The transportation problem can be solved by using native lunar materials, which are rich in titanium and iron.

Love, S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The development of future lunar exploration

Selected aspects of the eventual development of lunar exploration leading to the establishment of a human outpost on the moon are discussed. Possible means of spacecraft propulsion and guidance on an earth-moon trajectory are examined, together with likely means of telecommunications, including by laser and lunar-orbiting communications satellites. As yet unexploited orbits in the earth-moon system are pointed out, and the necessity for the increased use of computerized robots for surface navigation is discussed. Favorable locations for a habitat site, particularly the lunar poles are also considered. Implications of the availability of extraterrestrial resources for materials processing techniques and food production in the lunar environment are then indicated.

Burke, J. D.↗
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 5k W, the proposed machine will run continuously, unmanned in fourteen day cycles, matching the length of moon 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 NTRS2008

Addition of Electrostatic Forces to EDEM with Applications to Triboelectrically Charged Particles

Tribocharging of particles is common in many processes including fine powder handling and mixing, printer toner transport and dust extraction. In a lunar environment with its high vacuum and lack of water, electrostatic forces are an important factor to consider when designing and operating equipment. Dust mitigation and management is critical to safe and predictable performance of people and equipment. The extreme nature of lunar conditions makes it difficult and costly to carryout experiments on earth which are necessary to better understand how particles gather and transfer charge between each other and with equipment surfaces. DEM (Discrete Element Modeling) provides an excellent virtual laboratory for studying tribocharging of particles as well as for design of devices for dust mitigation and for other purposes related to handling and processing of lunar regolith. Theoretical and experimental work has been performed pursuant to incorporating screened Coulombic electrostatic forces into EDEM Tm, a commercial DEM software package. The DEM software is used to model the trajectories of large numbers of particles for industrial particulate handling and processing applications and can be coupled with other solvers and numerical models to calculate particle interaction with surrounding media and force fields. In this paper we will present overview of the theoretical calculations and experimental data and their comparison to the results of the DEM simulations. We will also discuss current plans to revise the DEM software with advanced electrodynamic and mechanical algorithms.

Hogue, Michael D.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) NASA’s First Polar Drilling and Volatiles Detection Mission

The US Administration announced in 2019 that NASA would return to the Moon where it would seek to establish a sustainable lunar presence. In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is needed to sustain and grow hu-man surface exploration and it is therefore a vital part of ensuring this bold endeavor. ISRU requires ground-truth on physical, mineral, and volatile characteristics of the resources. Water, a key and game-changing resource, exists in the polar regions of the Moon. Learning to harvest and use this resource first requires understanding where the resource is abundantly located and on what scales. Harvested water, which is usable for life support and fuel, must be identified, quantified, and assessed for its mining feasibility. The project goal for PRIME-1 is to develop a flight-ready instrumentation package that can assess the volatiles at a polar lunar landing location. PRIME-1 is the combination of two instruments; Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo) and The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is an 1-meter augering drill capable of bringing incremental lunar regolith samples to the surface for volatile analysis. MSolo is a modified, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) mass spectrometer capable of qualifying and quantifying atomic species in the 1-100 amu range, including isotopic differentiation. These two lunar flight instruments operating together make up the PRIME-1 instrument suite. PRIME-1 intends to fly on and operate from a static lunar lander acquired by the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) acquisition process. The PRIME-1 payload suite was selected to fly on Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander, and is currently targeting a late Fall 2023 landing attempt.

MSolo↗