Lunar Rock Transportation

1
Lunar Rock Transportation Processing

• Corey Harmon
• ASTE 527 Final Project
• December 15, 2008

2
Current NASA Plan for Lunar ISRU

• ESAS Architecture includes pre-cursor missions to
  demonstrate ISRU capabilities
• Crew support includes O2 and H2O production from
  lunar regolith
• Ascent vehicles designed to be compatible with
  ISRU-derived propellants
• Extraction of metals from regolith to produce
  items like solar arrays
• Whats missing a focus on simple construction
  using raw materials!

Image NASA
3
Surface Composition at Mons Malapert

• The main base at Mons Malapert is located in the
  lunar highlands
• Surface is covered with ancient rubble called
  breccia, which are angular rock fragments
  resulting from impacts
• Rocks are igneous (similar to granite) and are
  rich in calcium and aluminum

Image Close-up of Feldspar mineral (Wikipedia)
Image Lunar surface (http//www.le.ac.uk/ph/faul
kes/web/planets/r_pl_moon.html)
4
Construction Techniques
Image Pyramids at Giza (Wikipedia)

• For the first crewed missions to the lunar
  surface, the available technology will limit the
  complexity of structures
• Ancient civilizations were able to do much more
  with much less we can do the same on the moon!

5
Material Collection and Transportation

• To build landing pads and roads, the surface must
  be cleared and leveled
• Rocks collected by the equipment with basket-type
  scoop
• Rocks are placed in transport cars strung along
  tether line
• A tether system has several benefits over a rover
• Rovers can spend time collecting material, not
  hauling it back and forth
• Fewer mechanisms that are exposed to the damaging
  lunar dust
• Tether system set-up around the perimeter of the
  landing site, road, and habitat sites

Habitat Image Architecture and Vision Excavator
Image 2 Lander Image 1
6
Processing Shaping
Image Diagram of VSI (http//www.bgs.ac.uk/planni
ng4minerals/Resources_21.htm)

• VSI Crusher
• Final output is cube-shaped aggregates
• Grade is determined by velocity of shaft can be
  changed to create different sized aggregates
• Material is fed into vertical shaft from the top
  from transport cars
• Power provided by combination of batteries and
  solar power beaming

7
Applications

• Rocks will be shaped for easy dry-packing
• Rocks fit together without need for mortar or
  gluing material
• What can be made?
• Base layers for landing pads, roads, etc.
• Shade walls and berms
• Exposed platforms or towers
• Unpressurized dome structures for storage
• Outer protection for inflatable habitats ?
  radiation shielding

Image Collage of lunar surface and terrestrial
retaining wall (wall image from
spanishwhitevillages.com)
Image Example of unpressurized dome (CalEarth)
8
Next Steps

• More active processing techniques
• Drill or cut away pieces from large outcrops and
  shape into slabs
• Larger and more stable structures can be built
  (slabs, blocks, bricks, columns, beams)
• Same methodology as ancient Egyptians used to
  build pyramids
• There may be issues with thermal control need
  to get dissipate heat from drill or saw bits in
  vacuum environment
• Make sulfur concrete
• Requires processing of regolith to remove sulfur
• High heating needed to melt sulfur and regolith
  together to make concrete
• Concrete may not be very strong
• Rapid-prototyping using lunar regolith as
  sintering material
• Can make items for use in habitats, crewed
  vehicles, etc.
• May be able to replace failed components in some
  systems
• Can make geometrically complex objects with very
  few components

9
References

• Connolly, John. Altair Lunar Lander Design.
  Presentation at 59th International Astronautical
  Congress. Glasgow, October 2008.
• Freitas, Robert A. Jr. Advanced Automation for
  Space Missions. Appendix 5D. NASA/ASEE Summer
  Study, 1980
• Mendell, W. W., Editor. Lunar Bases and Space
  Activities of the 21st Century. Houston, TX,
  Lunar and Planetary Institute, 1985, Ch. 6.
• Shrunk, David, et al. The Moon Resources, Future
  Development, and Settlement. Praxis Publishing,
  2nd Edition, 2008.
• Simon, Tom, et al. NASA In-Situ Resource
  Utilization (ISRU) Development Incorporation
  Plans. Presentation at Technology Exchange
  Conference, Galveston, TX, November 2007.
• Wilhelms, Don E. Geologic History of the Moon.
  U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1987.
• NASAs Exploration Systems Architecture Study
  Final Report. NASA-TM-2005-214062, November 2005.
• http//www.synapses.co.uk/astro/moon3.html
• Lunar Mare Wikipedia article.
• Egyptian Pyramid Construction Techniques
  Wikipedia article
• Rock Crusher Wikipedia article

10
BACKUP MATERIAL
11
Apollo Luna Sample Composition
12
Pros Cons of Using Lunar Rocks as Construction
Material

• PROS
• Rocks are abundantly available
• Low lunar gravity results in easier handling and
  the structures can be taller, more slender, and
  longer than on Earth
• They are not susceptible to the harsh lunar
  environment
• CONS
• Processing must be done in a controlled
  environment to prevent high-energy debris from
  escaping
• Adaptation of terrestrial processors needs
  significant testing