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NASA NTRS2026

Swamp Works Regolith Compaction Technologies

While the level of compaction below the lunar surface increases quickly after only a few cm of depth, in many cases during a construction mission there will be a need to excavate and transport regolith to a new location for cut-and-fill or horizontal construction of structures such as berms. In these cases to achieve high levels of bulk density, compaction must be per-formed. Additionally, in some cases surface technolo-gies such as systems that sinter/melt the surface may desire the maximum possible compaction at the sur-face to improve melting/heating performance and the final material strength properties. Kennedy Space Center’s (KSC) Swamp Works has developed two means of compaction, lunar and mar-tian compaction. Planetary Autonomous Compaction Technology (PACT) which is part of the Multifunction End Effector for Regolith Compaction Acquisition and Transfer (MEERCAT [1]) robotic arm end effector system’s capabilities and the Site Preparation Tooling for Operations on Mobility Platforms (STOMP [2]) vibratory roller compactor. PACT on MEERCAT has been demonstrated to a TRL 5 and STOMP to a TRL 4 in ambient testing. The results of PACT on MEERCAT and STOMP testing will be shared with results for various simulants including BP-1, ICN-LHT-1G (aka CSM-LHT-1G), RDW-LHT-1GH (a simulant developed for the Mason Tipping Point to match characteristics of ICN-LHT-1G), and Exolith LHS-1E. This will also include discus-sions on methods used to verify relative density before and after compaction and means to verify density effects below depth. To calculate relative density, maximum and minimum densities for simulants were taken from literature [3] [4] [5] and additional lab test-ing (publication in work).

vibration↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Simulated Lunar Gravity Testing of VIPER Loop Heat Pipe

NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission consists of a rover designed to explore the lunar south pole. One of the main challenges faced by the rover during the lunar polar exploration is the adverse thermal environment. Temperatures can fluctuate more than a 100°C between day and night; potentially dropping to −246°C in permanent shadow regions. To maintain the rover components within temperature limits, VIPER’s Thermal Management System (TMS) relies heavily on Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs). To assist the design of the thermal management system, an Engineering Design Unit (EDU) LHP has been tested in several opportunities under thermal vacuum (TVAC) environment. Of particular interest was the LHP performance in lunar gravity. To that end, the EDU LHP was tested at the nominal orientation within the rover assembly, vertical, and inclined such that the gravitational component acting on the LHP evaporator and condenser was 1/6g (lunar gravity is 1/6 of Earth gravity) when compared to the vertical configuration. This paper will examine the LHP conductance as one the key parameters to assess the effect of the gravity on the LHP performance.

Loop Heat Pipe↗

NASA NTRS1977

Petrogenesis of Lunar Rocks: Rb-Sr Constraints and Lack of H2O

Rb and Sr isotopic data and other chemical data indicate major lunar differentiation at about 4.6 AE (AE = 10 9 years) and very limited subsequent differentiation. The constraints of limited differentiation after 4.6 AE and the apparent lack of H20 on the Moon, when applied to the derivation and petrogenesis of lunar samples, suggest the following: (1) soil samples, breccias, metaclastic rocks, and feldspathic basalts represent mixtures of repeatedly modified clastic material, which was ultimately derived from materials formed during the ~ 4.6 AE differentiation; and (2) mare basalts crystallized from melts which formed by partial melting, and which developed without equilibration between the melt and crystalline residuum.

Arden L Albee↗

NASA NTRS1993

Asynchronous Transfer Mode Link Performance Over Ground Networks

The results of an experiment to determine the feasibility of using asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology to support advanced spacecraft missions that require high-rate ground communications and, in particular, full-motion video are reported. Potential nodes in such a ground network include Deep Space Network (DSN) antenna stations, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a set of national and international end users. The experiment simulated a lunar microrover, lunar lander, the DSN ground communications system, and distributed science users. The users were equipped with video-capable workstations. A key feature was an optical fiber link between two high-performance workstations equipped with ATM interfaces. Video was also transmitted through JPL's institutional network to a user 8 km from the experiment. Variations in video depending on the networks and computers were observed, the results are reported.

E T Chow↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Biosynthesized Thermoplastic/Regolith Composites for Closed-Loop In-Space Manufacturing

In-Space Manufacturing (ISM) is vital to supporting a sustained human presence on the Moon or Mars. With payload launch prices ranging from $4,000 to more than $1 million per kg, reducing payload mass is of critical interest. Using in-situ resources for ISM is particularly attractive as it allows for a system of Earth-independent manufacturing for the Lunar surface, reducing the initial payload mass that is required for current ISM systems that rely on terrestrially synthesized materials. This talk presents new composite materials made from Lunar and Martian regolith and Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), a thermoplastic that offers the ability to be biosynthesized in space using various in-situ resources like organic waste or atmospheric CO2 as feedstock. The addition of regolith provides a route to creating materials with a diverse set of properties which will be discussed. The development of these materials represents the first step in creating a system of closed-loop ISM, which is critical to establishing a lasting human presence in space.

In situ resource utilization↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Polymer/Regolith Composites for In-Space Manufacturing on the Moon and Mars

In-situ resource utilization↗

NASA NTRS2025

The Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER) on Blue Ghost Mission 1 to Mare Crisium. I. Pneumatic Excavation of Regolith

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

S. Nagihara↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Behaviors of Lunar Regolith Simulant Under Varying Gravitational Conditions

Understanding the behavior of regolith in varying gravity conditions is critical for space exploration and future missions. In this work, the gravity-driven hopper flow of lunar regolith simulant in different gravitational accelerations (terrestrial, lunar) is first observed experimentally. Numerical simulations (DEM) are then developed to understand the role which cohesive inter-particle forces play in such gravity-driven flow, using the theoretical framework of granular Bond number. Qualitative comparison between a terrestrial experiment and numerical simulation validated this framework. Following that, we numerically studied the dynamic behavior under varying gravitational conditions (from terrestrial to lunar to asteroid gravitational accelerations). We find that this behavior is extremely sensitive to the interplay of the gravity conditions and the attractive/cohesive forces among particles. The numerical and experimental results show that the complex interaction of these forces can drastically change the dynamics of the material producing effects relevant for variable gravity applications.

Soft Matter↗

NASA NTRS2026

xEMU Spacesuit Boot Lunar South Pole Thermal Vacuum Testing

The Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) spacesuit lunar boot was evaluated in the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) CITADEL thermal vacuum chamber at lunar South Pole conditions. The JPL CITADEL chamber provides a radiation environment and contact plate temperature of 48K, simulating the temperature of a lunar Permanently Shadowed Region (PSR) at the South Pole of the Moon. The main objectives of the test series are: to evaluate the risk lunar PSRs pose to advanced spacesuit boots, validate the xEMU lunar boot thermal model, and to develop a test methodology to evaluate lunar spacesuit boots. To simulate the thermal effects of a crewmember’s foot inside the boot, a thermal manikin foot was developed to inject heat into the spacesuit boot. Thermal data was collected through a variety of sensors including thermocouples, thermistors, heat flux sensors, and infrared cameras. A test matrix was developed to investigate the variables of foot contact force, simulated skin temperature, external contact plate temperature, and ventilation flowrate. The JPL CITADEL chamber includes a loadlock (airlock) that afforded the ability to simulate the transition of the boot from a thermally neutral IVA condition to a cold EVA condition within seconds. This paper will document the test design, test objectives, success criteria, test support equipment, spacesuit boot to chamber interfaces, and configuration of the test article. Additionally, this paper will document the high-level results of the testing. More detailed test results will be presented in a different paper.

Ben Swartout↗

NASA NTRS2026

Gateway Element and Payload Materials Outgassing Analyses: HALO, HERMES, and ERSA

Gateway was intended to be humanity’s first space station around the Moon, but its development has been paused as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shifts focus to achieving the United States’ National Space Policy goals. Instead of an orbiting lunar outpost, NASA will now pursue the development of a lunar surface base to support a sustained human presence on the Moon. Before the program’s pause, Gateway’s Induced Environments team worked to ensure payloads and elements (i.e., modules) complied with induced environment requirements. Methods developed and insights gained from this work will have applicability to NASA’s Moon Base and the potential repurposing of Gateway elements and payloads, as well as to induced environments modeling for future space stations. The Gateway program’s induced environment included molecular contamination, electric thruster plume sputter and redeposition, and lunar dust transfer from the Human Landing System (HLS). Primary sources of external molecular contamination included materials outgassing, chemical thruster plume contamination, and vacuum venting. The focus of this paper will be on element- and payload-level materials outgassing analyses performed for Gateway Configuration 1, extending the previously-developed framework for Gateway system-level external molecular contamination modeling. Gateway Configuration 1 consisted of the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO). It also included payloads like the European Radiation Sensor Array (ERSA) attached to PPE and the Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite (HERMES) attached to HALO. The element- and payload-level analyses to be introduced in this paper for HALO, HERMES, and ERSA enabled high-fidelity descriptions of Gateway’s external molecular contamination environment. Approaches to geometric modeling, meshing, outgassing rate assignment, molecular transport modeling, and analysis methodology will be presented. Element and payload contaminant deposition onto sensitive Gateway receiver surfaces will be summarized and results compared to induced environment requirements. While these results incorporate refinements made over the course of the program, they were not intended to be final. Therefore, modeling assumptions and inputs, potential improvements, and lessons-learned will be documented to inform future work on Moon Base, repurposed elements and payloads, and other space stations.

Gateway↗

NASA NTRS2026

xEMU Spacesuit Boot Lunar South Pole Thermal Vacuum Testing

The Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) spacesuit lunar boot was evaluated in the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) CITADEL thermal vacuum chamber at lunar South Pole conditions. The JPL CITADEL chamber provides a radiation environment and contact plate temperature of 48K, simulating the temperature of a lunar Permanently Shadowed Region (PSR) at the South Pole of the Moon. The main objectives of the test series were: to evaluate the risk lunar PSRs pose to advanced spacesuit boots, validate the xEMU lunar boot thermal model, and develop a test methodology to evaluate lunar spacesuit boots. To simulate the thermal effects of a crewmember’s foot inside the boot, a thermal manikin foot was developed to inject heat into the spacesuit boot. Thermal data was collected through a variety of sensors including thermocouples, thermistors, heat flux sensors, and infrared cameras. A test matrix was developed to investigate the variables of foot contact force, simulated skin temperature, external contact plate temperature, and ventilation flowrate. The JPL CITADEL chamber includes a loadlock (airlock) that afforded the ability to simulate the transition of the boot from a thermally neutral IVA condition to a cold EVA condition within seconds. This paper will document the test design, test objectives, success criteria, test support equipment, spacesuit boot to chamber interfaces, and configuration of the test article. Additionally, this paper will document the high-level results of the testing. More detailed test results will be presented in a different paper.

TVAC↗

NASA NTRS2026

Extrusion-based Additive Manufacturing of Regolith-Filled Shape Memory Vitrimer Composite for Lunar Construction

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is visiting the moon again. This time, the objective is to explore establishing a permanent lunar base. To achieve both longterm human habitation on the moon and future deep space travel, it is crucial to make the most of the in-situ resources and build autonomous systems on the moon to support the construction of a lunar habitat. NASA’s In-situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) program aims to minimize the need to ship heavy prefabricated structures, reducing cost and enhancing sustainability. Here, we developed an economical extrusion method for printing lunar regolith-based composites using shape memory vitrimer as a binder. A rheological study is conducted to determine the extrudability of the composite with different regolith weight percentages. Several characterizations were conducted on the composites. The as-printed composites exhibited compressive and flexural strengths of 73.32 MPa and 156.59 MPa, respectively, and good impact tolerance. The composite maintained 57.92% of its mechanical properties even after the second crack healing cycle. The composites also exhibit shape fixity ratio of 90.02% and shape recovery ratio of 83.46%. The simple synthesis method, sustainability, and good thermomechanical properties make the 3D printed composite an ideal material for lunar construction applications.

Kingsley Yeboah Gyabaah↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Expanding the Horizons of Polymer Aerogels

As the Space Community endeavors to reach new heights of human exploration, materials for extreme environments are at the forefront of research. One class of materials of particular focus are polymer aerogels; lightweight solids with nanoscale pore size, high internal surface area, and extremely high porosities. These interesting properties allow aerogels to act as superior thermal insulators, IR scattering filters, sensor platforms, and vibro-acoustic mitigating materials. Polymer aerogels also have the potential to combat issues found in lunar environments such as dust and radiation mitigation. Herein, past and present research, synthesis, and applications of polymer aerogels will be discussed.

Stephanie L Vivod↗

DOE OSTI2024

Surface science insight note: A linear algebraic approach to elucidate native films on Fe 3 O 4 surface

Standard materials are often used to obtain spectra that can be compared to those from unknown samples. Spectra measured from these known substances are also used as a means of computing sensitivity factors to allow quantification by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of less well-defined materials. Spectra from known materials also provide line shapes suitable for inclusion in spectral models which, when fitted to spectra, permit the chemical state for a sample to be assessed. Both types of information depend on isolating photoemission signals from the inelastically scattered signal. In this Insight note, technical issues associated with the use of XPS of as received Fe 3 O 4 powder sample surface are discussed. The Insight note is designed to show how linear algebraic techniques applied to data collected from a sample marketed as pure Fe 3 O 4 powder are used to verify that XPS has been performed on chemistry representative of the sample. The methods described in this Insight note can further be utilized in elucidating complex XPS data obtained from thin films formed or evolved during cyclic/non-steady use of complex (electro)catalyst surfaces, especially in the presence of contaminants.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2026

Defect-induced displacement of topological surface state in quantum magnet MnBi2Te4

The topological magnet MnBi2⁢Te4 (MBT), with gapped topological surface state, is an attractive platform for realizing quantum anomalous Hall and axion insulator states. However, the experimentally observed surface state gaps fail to meet theoretical predictions, although the exact mechanism behind the gap suppression has been debated. Recent theoretical studies suggest that intrinsic antisite defects push the topological surface state away from the MBT surface, closing its gap and making it less accessible to scanning probe experiments. Here, we report on the local effect of defects on the MBT surface states and demonstrate that high defect concentrations lead to a displacement of the surface states well into the MBT crystal, validating the theorized mechanism. The local and global influence of antisite defects on the topological surface states are studied with samples of varying defect densities by combining scanning tunneling microscopy, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, and density functional theory. Our findings identify a combination of increased defect density and reduced defect spacing as the primary factors underlying the displacement of the surface states and suppression of surface gap, guiding further development of topological quantum materials.

Lupke, Felix [Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)]↗

NASA NTRS1962

Manned Lunar Landing Via Rendezvous

In any mission description, the vehicles, the flight profiles, and the astrionics hardware to im- plement the mission are all tightly interwoven things. A final result evolves only after many iterations to the solution are made. This paper will describe one of these iterations in the Saturn C-5 Earth Orbit Rendezvous approach to the Manned Lunar Landing Program. Since the iter- ation to be described in an nthone, there exists some basis for the hope that the perturbation from the final solution is small. This paper is not concerned with the landing itself, but only with those operations leading to injection of the space craft into the lunar trans- fer trajectory. However, as is to be expected, it is the target conditions which set the pace for the overall operation. The entire operation must be sized to culminate at a time and place which places the lunar target in an attainable position. The procedure would call for a burst of activity lasting over a relatively short time as compared to the long and extensive preparations leading up to it. The activity must be aimed at the opening of the lunar "launch window". Figure 1 illustrates the variation in the velocity increment required to launch a vehicle into a lunar transfer trajectory from a 485 kilometer earth orbit. The minima are at irregularly spaced intervals and are a func- tion of the inclination of the lunar and the earth satellite planes and of the position of the moon in its orbit around the earth (i. e. , the day of the month). In an operations analysis these spacings will influence the number of vehicles on the launch pad (primary and back-up) , their state of readi- ness, the firing rate, and also the flight profile to be chosen. Whether it is decided to go by "con- necting" or by "tanking" mode, the objective must be to get the spacecraft in the launch ready state at the opening of one of these launch windows. It may be desired that the first vehicle be capable of remaining in a functionally capable state even after bridging one or more of the gaps between the windows. This consideration will influence the design of the vehicles as well as the operational modes to be designed into the flight control hard- ware. For example, a sleep switch may be de- sirable from the standpoint of savings in battery we ight.

LUNAR LANDING↗

NASA NTRS2025

Sulfur outgassing and in-gassing in lunar orange glass beads and implications for 33S “Anomaly” in the Moon

Our recent investigations have discovered inward diffusion (in-gassing) of moderately volatile elements (MVEs; e.g., Na, K and Cu) from volcanic gas into volcanic beads/droplets. In this work, we examine the distribution of sulfur in lunar orange glass beads. Our analyses reveal that sulfur exhibits a non-uniform distribution across the beads, forming “U” or “W” shaped profiles typical of in-gassing. A model developed to assess sulfur contributions from different sources (original magmatic sulfur versus atmospheric in-gassed sulfur) in the orange beads indicates that atmospheric sulfur in-gassed during eruption contributes approximately 9–24 % to the total sulfur content of an orange bead, averaging around 16 %. This in-gassed sulfur is derived from the eruption plume, where atmospheric sulfur could undergo photochemical reactions induced by UV light, leading to mass independent fractionation and a distinct sulfur isotope signature. Interestingly, a recent study discovered a small mass independent isotope fractionation of sulfur in lunar orange glass beads in drive tube 74002/1 and a lack of such mass independent isotope fractionation in black glass beads in the same lunar sample. This finding contrasts with sulfur in lunar basalts, which typically exhibit mass dependent fractionation. With our work, the observed mass independent fractionation signal in sulfur isotopes of orange beads can be attributed to the in-gassing of photolytic sulfur in the optically thin part of the eruption plume where UV light can penetrate. Using the sulfur isotope data of lunar orange beads, we estimate that the Δ33S value of atmospheric sulfur is approximately −0.18 ‰. Our study provides new insights into the complex dynamics of volatile elements in lunar volcanic processes, highlighting the role of in-gassing in shaping sulfur isotope signatures in volcanic glass beads.

Xue Su↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Power and Propulsion Element Steerable High Gain Antenna Lunar Transit Thermal Analysis Tracking Methodology

The Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) is an ion thruster propulsion spacecraft developed as an element of Space Reactor (SR-1) Freedom to provide propulsion, communications and power for the spacecraft. PPE was originally being developed for the use with the lunar orbiting space station Gateway as one of the first two planned elements. PPE was to be launched with the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) element in a configuration called the Co-Manifested Vehicle (CMV) that would arrive at a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon via a lunar transit spiral trajectory phase. The PPE communication system is equipped with two Steerable High Gain Antennas (SHGA) each steered by a two-axis gimbal (TAG) mechanism. A thermal analysis was conducted during the near-Earth spiral phase of the mission using Thermal Desktop (TD). This analysis utilized multiple axis Earth tracking articulators in combination with SINDA system internal environmental heating symbols to produce accurate Earth ground station tracking communication system temperatures. This presentation provides an overview of the communication system thermal model and the analysis methodology.

Thermal Analysis↗