Geotechnical Properties of NT-LHT-2M Lunar Highland Simulant

Zeng, Xin; He, Chunmei; Wilkinson, Allen

doi:10.1061/(asce)as.1943-5525.0000026

Cited by 45 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…FJS-1 has a cohesion of 8 kPa although it is not stated at which density 23 , however, studies have investigated the slope angle and self-standing heights 24,25 . There are no published data on the cohesion of DNA or NU-LHT-3M, but it is considered to be negligible in NU-LHT-2M 26 . In this study cohesion was measured by lowering a plastic plate into a box filled with EAC-1A.…”

Section: Cohesionmentioning

confidence: 99%

EAC-1A: A novel large-volume lunar regolith simulant

Engelschiøn

Eriksson

Cowley

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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The European Astronaut Centre (EAC) is currently constructing the European Lunar Exploration Laboratory (LUNA), a large training and operations facility to be located adjacent to EAC at the DLR (German Aerospace Centre) campus in Cologne, Germany. With an estimated representative lunar testbed area of approximately 660 m 2 , a large volume of lunar regolith simulant material is needed for this purpose. In this study, a basanitic sandy silt from a quarry located in the Siebengebirge Volcanic Field is evaluated as a large-volume source of material. The focus of this project has been to conduct a physical and chemical characterisation of the fine-grained material to be used in LUNA; the European Astronaut Centre lunar regolith simulant 1 (EAC-1 A). The physical characterisation tests undertaken include sphericity, density measurements, cohesion and static angle of repose, with mineralogical investigations via petrographical analysis with optical microscope and SEM, XRF, XRD and DSC measurements. The results of the EAC-1A tests are compared to published data on existing widely used lunar regolith simulants, namely JSC-1A, JSC-2A, NU-LHT-3M, DNA and FJS-1.

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Section: Cohesionmentioning

confidence: 99%

EAC-1A: A novel large-volume lunar regolith simulant

Engelschiøn

Eriksson

Cowley

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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“…An OHAUS Discovery DV215CD precision balance with a readability of 0.01 mg was placed inside the glovebox to measure the mass gain of the sample during adsorption. A thin layer of NU-LHT-2M in its standard particle size distribution (Zeng et al 2010) was spread over a stainless steel petri dish with 75 mm diameter and baked-out at >100 °C for 4 h under continuous vacuum pumping and a pressure of approximately 10 -1 mbar. The sample was then transferred into the humidity-controlled volume of the glovebox and left there for at least 12 h and up to 48 h to adsorb water from the glovebox atmosphere at 1 % relative humidity.…”

Section: Sample Hydrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal extraction of volatiles from the lunar regolith simulant NU-LHT-2M: Preparations for in-situ analyses on the Moon

Grill

Barber

2019

Planetary and Space Science

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The present work describes the end-to-end demonstration of enriching the lunar highland regolith simulant NU-LHT-2M with loosely adsorbed water, releasing this and other volatile compounds by thermal treatment in high-vacuum, and identifying the released volatile species through mass spectrometry. This demonstration was performed to characterise how different sample conditions will affect the in-situ measurements performed by the ProSPA gas analysis instrument that is to operate at the lunar south pole on board the Russian Luna-27 lander. A laboratory breadboard was set up that allows testing of variable parameter combinations, such as different initial water contents, particle sizes, quantities, and bulk densities of the sample, as well as different heating rates. Three distinct temperature-dependent phases of outgassing were identified. Between-50 °C and 300 °C loosely adsorbed volatiles, mainly water in a mass fraction of around 0.1 % to 0.2 %, were released from the samples. Above that the samples showed mineral decomposition which led to the release of trapped water, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. It was shown that the gas pressure produced by outgassing of the volatile species in a continuously pumped system is noticeably higher if the sample is larger, contains smaller particles, or if a higher heating rate is applied. Highlights  NU-LHT-2M was hydrated with water in mass fractions around 0.1 %  In a ProSPA-like laboratory breadboard the water was extracted by heating  NU-LHT-2M releases the added volatile water below a temperature of °C  Different sample conditions develop different characteristic gas pressures  NU-LHT-2M releases trapped water, CO 2 , and H 2 S from decomposition above 300 °C

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“…However, JSC-1 or Johnson Space Center Number One A (JSC-1A) simulants are insufficient for large-scale simulation programs due to their scarce quantities. New lunar regolith simulants with large procurement, such as NASA/USGS-Lunar Highlands Type-2 Medium regolith simulant (NU-LHT-2M) (Stoeser et al 2010;Zeng et al 2010), are thus currently being actively used in large-scale lunar programs (e.g., ESA PROSPECT).…”

Section: Scanning Electron Microscope Analysis Of Particle Characterimentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Geotechnical Engineering Properties of KLS-1 Lunar Simulant

2018

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Lunar exploration, which slowed in the 21st century after the Apollo program, has seen more activity recently with the participation of Asian countries such as Japan, China, and India. Because lunar modules and rovers cannot be tested directly on lunar soil, these countries have developed lunar simulants. Simulating lunar soil is difficult and expensive because its formation mechanism and geotechnical behavior are comprehensively different from those of the terrestrial soil. Johnson Space Center Number One (JSC-1) and Johnson Space Center Number One A (JSC-1A), developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, are the most widely used simulants. Korea has yet to succeed in developing a lunar simulant that meets international standards. The authors perform basic research on lunar simulant development based on basalt samples having similar chemical and mechanical properties to those of lunar soil, with reference to lunar soil data reported under the Apollo program. The resulting prototype is named Korea Lunar Stimulant-Type 1 (KLS-1). Compared with other lunar simulants [JSC-1 and Fuji Japanese Simulant 1 (FJS-1)], KLS-1 shows promise in terms of affordability and similarity to real lunar soil. As such, it is expected to find a wide variety of applications not only in space development projects but also in international research.

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Geotechnical Properties of NT-LHT-2M Lunar Highland Simulant

Cited by 45 publications

References 9 publications

EAC-1A: A novel large-volume lunar regolith simulant

EAC-1A: A novel large-volume lunar regolith simulant

Thermal extraction of volatiles from the lunar regolith simulant NU-LHT-2M: Preparations for in-situ analyses on the Moon

Development and Geotechnical Engineering Properties of KLS-1 Lunar Simulant

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