scholarly journals Rheological Properties of Lunar Mortars

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 6961
Author(s):  
Joanna J. Sokołowska ◽  
Piotr Woyciechowski ◽  
Maciej Kalinowski
Keyword(s):  
Rheological Properties ◽  
Lunar Regolith ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Mechanical Equipment ◽  
The Moon ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Local Resources ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Lunar Regolith Simulant

NASA has revealed that they plan to resume manned missions and ensure the permanent presence of people in the so-called habitats on the Moon by 2024. Moon habitats are expected to be built using local resources—it is planned to use lunar regolith as aggregate in lunar concrete. Lunar concrete design requires a new approach in terms of both the production technology and the operating conditions significantly different from the Earth. Considering that more and more often it is assumed that the water present on the Moon in the form of ice might be used to maintain the base, but also to construct the base structure, the authors decided to investigate slightly more traditional composites than the recently promoted sulfur and polymer composites thermally hardened and cured. Numerous compositions of cement “lunar micro-mortars” and “lunar mortars” were made and tested to study rheological properties, namely, the consistency, which largely depend on the morphology of the fine-grained filler, i.e., regolith. For obvious reasons, the lunar regolith simulant (LRS) was used in place of the original Moon regolith. The used LRS mapped the grain size distribution and morphology of the real lunar regolith. It was created for the purpose of studying the erosive effect of dusty regolith fractions on the moving parts of lunar landers and other mechanical equipment; therefore, it simulated well the behavior of regolith particles in relation to cement paste. The obtained results made it possible to develop preliminary compositions for “lunar mortars” (possible to apply in, e.g., 3D concrete printing) and to prepare, test, and evaluate mortar properties in comparison to traditional quartz mortars (under the conditions of the Earth laboratory).

Exposure to low Earth orbit of an extreme-tolerant cyanobacterium as a contribution to lunar astrobiology activities

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Billi ◽  
Claudia Mosca ◽  
Claudia Fagliarone ◽  
Alessandro Napoli ◽  
Cyprien Verseux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Uv Radiation ◽  
Genomic Dna ◽  
Lunar Regolith ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Planetary Protection ◽  
Lunar Regolith Simulant ◽  
Space Conditions

AbstractBy investigating the survival and the biomarker detectability of a rock-inhabiting cyanobacterium, Chroococcidiopsis sp. CCMEE 029, the BIOMEX space experiment might contribute to a future exploitation of the Moon as a test-bed for key astrobiology tasks such as the testing of life-detection technologies and the study of life in space. Post-flight analyses demonstrated that the mixing of dried cells with sandstone and a lunar regolith simulant provided protection against space UV radiation. During the space exposure, dried cells not mixed with minerals were killed by 2.05 × 102 kJ m−2 of UV radiation, while cells mixed with sandstone or lunar regolith survived 1.59 × 102 and 1.79 × 102 kJ m−2, respectively. No differences in survival occurred among cells mixed and not mixed with minerals and exposed to space conditions in the dark; this finding suggests that space vacuum and 0.5 Gy of ionizing radiation did not impair the cells’ presence in space. The genomic DNA of dead cells was severely damaged but still detectable with PCR amplification of a short target, thus suggesting that short sequences should be targeted in a PCR-based approach when searching for traces of life. The enhanced stability of genomic DNA of dried cells mixed with minerals and exposed to space indicates that DNA might still be detectable after prolonged periods, possibly up to millions of years in microbes shielded by minerals. Overall, the BIOMEX results contribute to future experiments regarding the exposure of cells and their biomarkers to deep space conditions in order to further test the lithopanspermia hypothesis, the biomarker stability and the microbial endurance, with implications for planetary protection and to determine if the Moon has been contaminated during past human missions.

scholarly journals Does the lunar regolith contain secrets of the Solar System? Using the Moon as a cosmic witness plate

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S264) ◽  
pp. 475-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. McKay ◽  
Louise Riofrio ◽  
Bonnie L. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Lunar Regolith ◽  
Lunar Soil ◽  
The Moon ◽  
System A ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Radiation History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Time Capsule ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe lunar regolith (soil) has recorded a history of the early Moon, the Earth, and the entire solar system. A major goal of the developing lunar exploration program should be to find and play back existing fragments of that tape. By playing back the lunar tape, we can uncover a record of planetary bombardment, as well as solar and stellar variability. The Moon can tell us much about our place in the solar system and in the Universe. The lunar regolith has likely recorded the original meteoritic bombardment of Earth and Moon, a violent cataclysm that may have peaked around 4 GY, and the less intense bombardment occurring since that time. Decrease in bombardment allowed life to develop on Earth. This impact history is preserved as megaregolith layers, ejecta layers, impact melt rocks, and ancient impact breccias. The impact history for the Earth and Moon possibly had profound effects on the origin and development of life. Life may have arrived via meteorite transport from a more quiet body, such as Mars. The solar system may have experienced bursts of severe radiation from the Sun, other stars or from unknown sources. The lunar regolith has also recorded a radiation history in the form of implanted and trapped solar wind and solar flare materials and radiation damage. The Moon can be considered as a giant tape recorder containing the history of the solar system. Lunar soil generated by small impacts will be found sandwiched between layers of basalt or pyroclastic deposits. This filling constitutes a buried time capsule that is likely to contain well-preserved ancient regolith. Study of such samples will show us how the solar system has evolved and changed over time. The lunar recording can provide detailed snapshots of specific portions of solar and stellar variability.

Study of the rheology of lunar regolith simulant and water slurries for geopolymer applications on the Moon

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jahinder Momi ◽  
Taylor Lewis ◽  
Federico Alberini ◽  
Marit E. Meyer ◽  
Alessio Alexiadis
Keyword(s):  
Lunar Regolith ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Lunar Regolith Simulant

scholarly journals Manufacturing Dense Thick Films of Lunar Regolith Simulant EAC-1 at Room Temperature

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Nieke ◽  
Jaroslaw Kita ◽  
Marc Häming ◽  
Ralf Moos
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Lunar Regolith ◽  
Thick Films ◽  
Aerosol Deposition ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Metal Powders ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Lunar Regolith Simulant ◽  
Steel Substrates ◽  
Deposited Films

The Aerosol Deposition (AD, also known as gas kinetic spraying or vacuum deposition) method is a rather novel coating process to produce dense thick films directly from dry ceramic (or metal) powders on a variety of substrates without any heat treatment. Because of the similarity of the up to now used powders and lunar regolith, it is imaginable to use AD systems for future in situ resource utilization missions on the Moon planned by several space agencies. To test the feasibility of such an endeavor, the processability of lunar mare simulant EAC-1 by the AD method has been examined in this study. Three regolith films with an area of 25 × 10 mm2, and thicknesses between 2.50 µm and 5.36 µm have been deposited on steel substrates using a standard AD setup. Deposited films have been investigated by Laser Scanning Microscopy (LSM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the roughness and Vickers hardness of the deposited films and the underlying substrates have been measured. It has been shown that dense consolidated films of regolith simulant can be produced within minutes by AD. The deposited films show a higher roughness and, on average, a higher hardness than the steel substrates. Since on the Moon, naturally available regolith powders are abundant and very dry, and since the required process vacuum is available, AD appears to be a very promising method for producing dense coatings in future Moon exploration and utilization missions.

The motion of a lunar orbiter

1966 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 373
Author(s):  
Y. Kozai
Keyword(s):  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Dimensional Space ◽  
Artificial Satellite ◽  
Equations Of Motion ◽  
Triaxial Ellipsoid ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Secular Motion ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Close Satellite ◽  
The Mean

The motion of an artificial satellite around the Moon is much more complicated than that around the Earth, since the shape of the Moon is a triaxial ellipsoid and the effect of the Earth on the motion is very important even for a very close satellite.The differential equations of motion of the satellite are written in canonical form of three degrees of freedom with time depending Hamiltonian. By eliminating short-periodic terms depending on the mean longitude of the satellite and by assuming that the Earth is moving on the lunar equator, however, the equations are reduced to those of two degrees of freedom with an energy integral.Since the mean motion of the Earth around the Moon is more rapid than the secular motion of the argument of pericentre of the satellite by a factor of one order, the terms depending on the longitude of the Earth can be eliminated, and the degree of freedom is reduced to one.Then the motion can be discussed by drawing equi-energy curves in two-dimensional space. According to these figures satellites with high inclination have large possibilities of falling down to the lunar surface even if the initial eccentricities are very small.The principal properties of the motion are not changed even if plausible values ofJ3andJ4of the Moon are included.This paper has been published in Publ. astr. Soc.Japan15, 301, 1963.

Formation of Lunar Craters and Bright Rays as a Result of Meteorite Impacts

1962 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 415-418
Author(s):  
K. P. Stanyukovich ◽  
V. A. Bronshten
Keyword(s):  
Explosive Charge ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Meteorite Impacts ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Lunar Craters ◽  
The Impact

The phenomena accompanying the impact of large meteorites on the surface of the Moon or of the Earth can be examined on the basis of the theory of explosive phenomena if we assume that, instead of an exploding meteorite moving inside the rock, we have an explosive charge (equivalent in energy), situated at a certain distance under the surface.

The Origin of the Moon

1962 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. L. Ruskol
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Solar System ◽  
The Moon ◽  
The Earth ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Origin Of The Moon

The difference between average densities of the Moon and Earth was interpreted in the preceding report by Professor H. Urey as indicating a difference in their chemical composition. Therefore, Urey assumes the Moon's formation to have taken place far away from the Earth, under conditions differing substantially from the conditions of Earth's formation. In such a case, the Earth should have captured the Moon. As is admitted by Professor Urey himself, such a capture is a very improbable event. In addition, an assumption that the “lunar” dimensions were representative of protoplanetary bodies in the entire solar system encounters great difficulties.

The Origin of the Moon and its Relationship to the Origin of the Solar System

1962 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 133-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold C. Urey
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
The Moon ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Origin Of The Moon

During the last 10 years, the writer has presented evidence indicating that the Moon was captured by the Earth and that the large collisions with its surface occurred within a surprisingly short period of time. These observations have been a continuous preoccupation during the past years and some explanation that seemed physically possible and reasonably probable has been sought.

Probable Structure and Nature of the Formations on the Reverse Side of the Moon According to Photometric Measurements of Lunar Photographs

1962 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
A. V. Markov
Keyword(s):  
The Moon ◽  
Probable Structure ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Interplanetary Station ◽  
Photometric Measurements ◽  
Automatic Interplanetary Station

Notwithstanding the fact that a number of defects and distortions, introduced in transmission of the images of the latter to the Earth, mar the negatives of the reverse side of the Moon, indirectly obtained on 7 October 1959 by the automatic interplanetary station (AIS), it was possible to use the photometric measurements of the secondary (terrestrial) positives of the reverse side of the Moon in the experiment of the first comparison of the characteristics of the surfaces of the visible and invisible hemispheres of the Moon.

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