161 research outputs found

    Space Resources and Space Settlements

    Get PDF
    The technical papers from the five tasks groups that took part in the 1977 Ames Summer Study on Space Settlements and Industrialization Using Nonterrestrial Materials are presented. The papers are presented under the following general topics: (1) research needs for regenerative life-support systems; (2) habitat design; (3) dynamics and design of electromagnetic mass drivers; (4) asteroids as resources for space manufacturing; and (5) processing of nonterrestrial materials

    Space Settlements: A Design Study

    Get PDF
    Nineteen professors of engineering, physical science, social science, and architecture, three volunteers, six students, a technical director, and two co-directors worked for ten weeks to construct a convincing picture of how people might permanently sustain life in space on a large scale, and to design a system for the colonization of space. Because the idea of colonizing space has awakened strong public interest, the document presented is written to be understood by the educated public and specialists in other fields. It also includes considerable background material. A table of units and conversion factors is included to aid the reader in interpreting the units of the metric system used in the report

    Asteroid exploration and utilization: The Hawking explorer

    Get PDF
    The Earth is nearing depletion of its natural resources at a time when human beings are rapidly expanding the frontiers of space. The resources which may exist on asteroids could have enormous potential for aiding and enhancing human space exploration as well as life on Earth. With the possibly limitless opportunities that exist, it is clear that asteroids are the next step for human existence in space. This report comprises the efforts of NEW WORLDS, Inc. to develop a comprehensive design for an asteroid exploration/sample return mission. This mission is a precursor to proof-of-concept missions that will investigate the validity of mining and materials processing on an asteroid. Project STONER (Systematic Transfer of Near Earth Resources) is based on two utilization scenarios: (1) moving an asteroid to an advantageous location for use by Earth; and (2) mining an asteroids and transporting raw materials back to Earth. The asteroid explorer/sample return mission is designed in the context of both scenarios and is the first phase of a long range plane for humans to utilize asteroid resources. The report concentrates specifically on the selection of the most promising asteroids for exploration and the development of an exploration scenario. Future utilization as well as subsystem requirements of an asteroid sample return probe are also addressed

    Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR)

    Get PDF
    Regolith is abundant on extra-terrestrial surfaces and is the source of many resources such as oxygen, hydrogen, titanium, aluminum, iron, silica and other valuable materials, which can be used to make rocket propellant, consumables for life support, radiation protection barrier shields, landing pads, blast protection berms, roads, habitats and other structures and devices. Recent data from the Moon also indicates that there are substantial deposits of water ice in permanently shadowed crater regions and possibly under an over burden of regolith. The key to being able to use this regolith and acquire the resources, is being able to manipulate it with robotic excavation and hauling machinery that can survive and operate in these very extreme extra-terrestrial surface environments. In addition, the reduced gravity on the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids poses a significant challenge in that the necessary reaction force for digging cannot be provided by the robot's weight as is typically done on Earth. Space transportation is expensive and limited in capacity, so small, lightweight payloads are desirable, which means large traditional excavation machines are not a viable option. A novel, compact and lightweight excavation robot prototype for manipulating, excavating, acquiring, hauling and dumping regolith on extra-terrestrial surfaces has been developed and tested. Lessons learned and test results will be presented including digging in a variety of lunar regolith simulant conditions including frozen regolith mixed with water ice

    Advanced Space Surface Systems Operations

    Get PDF
    The importance of advanced surface systems is becoming increasingly relevant in the modern age of space technology. Specifically, projects pursued by the Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations (GMRO) Lab are unparalleled in the field of planetary resourcefulness. This internship opportunity involved projects that support properly utilizing natural resources from other celestial bodies. Beginning with the tele-robotic workstation, mechanical upgrades were necessary to consider for specific portions of the workstation consoles and successfully designed in concept. This would provide more means for innovation and creativity concerning advanced robotic operations. Project RASSOR is a regolith excavator robot whose primary objective is to mine, store, and dump regolith efficiently on other planetary surfaces. Mechanical adjustments were made to improve this robot's functionality, although there were some minor system changes left to perform before the opportunity ended. On the topic of excavator robots, the notes taken by the GMRO staff during the 2013 and 2014 Robotic Mining Competitions were effectively organized and analyzed for logistical purposes. Lessons learned from these annual competitions at Kennedy Space Center are greatly influential to the GMRO engineers and roboticists. Another project that GMRO staff support is Project Morpheus. Support for this project included successfully producing mathematical models of the eroded landing pad surface for the vertical testbed vehicle to predict a timeline for pad reparation. And finally, the last project this opportunity made contribution to was Project Neo, a project exterior to GMRO Lab projects, which focuses on rocket propulsion systems. Additions were successfully installed to the support structure of an original vertical testbed rocket engine, thus making progress towards futuristic test firings in which data will be analyzed by students affiliated with Rocket University. Each project will be explained in further detail, as well as the full scope of the contributions made during this opportunity

    Planning and Optimisation Methods for Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilisation

    Full text link
    Lunar water resources are expected to be used for space exploration and development in the future. These resources can be used for life support and rocket fuel to reduce the risks and costs associated with lunar settlement. There is a notable gap in literature relating to the planning and optimisation of lunar resource extraction. This thesis aims to address the problem by developing tools for planning and optimisation of In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) on the Moon, with a focus on H2O resources. The multidisciplinary tools currently used in the terrestrial mining industry are examined as possible solutions to fill the gap. However, several issues are identified with the direct transfer of these methods to ISRU. Four foundational areas of mining engineering are then expanded for off-Earth applications. These are geomechanics and modelling, mining system selection, extraction sequence optimisation and project valuation. For geomechanics, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) is used to determine the stability of regolith excavations on the Moon. This method is also extended to the development of ground engaging tools under lunar gravity. Conceptual proofs are shown for two novel mining systems using DEM, the Impact Excavator and Drill and Pull method. With further development, these new rock breakage systems can improve ISRU planning and optimisation by enabling the access of harder, higher grade icy regolith. Within literature, there are also numerous off-Earth mining systems described. A procedure is developed to objectively select a mining system for a range of possible space resource deposit types. The procedure utilises principles of Axiomatic Design to estimate the reliability of systems in the absence of experimental data. These system reliabilities assist in making selections that can be used as inputs for subsequent planning and optimisation activities. Traditional optimisation algorithms, such the Lerchs-Grossman pit optimisation method and other graph-based methods are next examined for their applicability to off-Earth mining. They are found to be incompatible when directly applied to ISRU and a new paradigm is developed based on Reinforcement Learning. This method has advantages over the traditional mine optimisation algorithms and solves many of the issues identified for ISRU. For example, it does not require uncertain financial inputs such as cost estimations or price forecasting. This particular weakness in financial inputs for off-Earth mine planning is also addressed for project valuations. An opportunity cost measure, the Propellant Payback Ratio, is shown to overcome many of the difficult input requirements of the traditional method for the purpose of ISRU project appraisal. It enables ISRU project appraisals to be conducted completely independent of the uncertain financial inputs mentioned. Overall, the thesis contributes to the expansion of the mining engineering discipline into the ISRU domain. Four interconnected areas of mining engineering are developed including: geomechanics, mining system selection, sequence optimisation and project appraisal. These are all part of a multidisciplinary approach to ISRU planning and optimisation. Although ISRU has so far not begun, the methods and tools developed here can be used to improve the future prospect of resource utilisation on the Moon

    Space Resources Roundtable Six

    Get PDF
    Covers developing and utilizing the resources of space, including the Moon, Mars, and asteroids.Sponsored by: Colorado School of Mines, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Space Resources Roundtable, Inc.Steering Committee: Joe Burris, WorldTradeNetwork, R. Scott Baird, NASA Johnson Space Center, David Criswell, University of Houston, Michael B. Duke, Colorado School of Mines, Stephen Mackwell, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Clyde Parish, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Sanders Rosenberg, InSpace Propulsion, Inc., Frank Schowengerdt, NASA Headquarters, G. Jeffrey Taylor, University of Hawai'i, Lawrence Taylor, University a/Tennessee.PARTIAL CONTENTS: Dielectric Constant Measurements on Lunar Soils and- Terrestrial Minerals / R. C. Anderson, M. G. Buehler, S. Seshardri, and M. G. Schaap--Dust Mitigation of Astronaut Spacesuits / H. Angel, P. Thanh, and M Nakagawa--Toward a Sustainable Mars Infrastructure / R. L. Ash--Granular Materials and Risks In ISRU / R. P. Behringer and R. A. Wilkinson--ISRU Technology Modeling and Analysis / B. R. Blair, J. Diaz, B. Ruiz, and M. B. Duke--Costs and Benefits of ISRU-Based Human Space Exploration / B. R. Blair, M. B. Duke, J. Diaz, and B. Ruiz--Report on the Construction and Testing of a Bucket Wheel Excavator / D. S. Boucher and J Richard--The Lunar Polar Illumination Environment: What We Know & What We Don't / D. B. J. Bussey and P. D. Spudis--Lunar Simulants: JSC-l is Gone; The Need for New Standardized Root Simulants / J. L. Carter, D. S. McKay, L. A. Taylor, and W. D. Carrier III--Space Transportation for a Lunar Resources Base (LRB) / H. P. Davis

    Engineering near-Earth asteroid resources using the orbital siphon effect

    Get PDF
    Exploitation of the resources available in space is one of the key challenges for future space exploration. Many of these resources have been recognized as potentially low-cost alternatives to those launched from Earth. In particular, near-Earth asteroids are among the easiest objects to reach and could provide resources such as water, liquid propellants electrolysed form water, semiconductors, and metals. Several studies have shown that a useful quantity of accessible resources may be available to be transferred into Earth orbit with transfer energies lower than that required to exploit material from the Moon. To address this problem, different scenarios can be envisaged to transfer material to Earth orbit or Halo orbits, such as transport of the entire asteroid or transport of mined material, the optimal choice depending on the particular asteroid of interest. A further possibility is in-situ manufacturing using asteroid resources, for example to assemble space-structures directly nearby the asteroid or to process water for propellants or life support. Motivated by this growing interest in asteroid resource exploitation, this thesis investigates a novel strategy to deliver a fraction of the asteroid mass into orbit about the asteroid or to escape. The analysis has its roots in the idea of leveraging the rotational kinetic energy of a rotating body to lift material, for example with the concept of the space elevator. The elevator is envisaged as a tethered structure to connect a mass in synchronous (or higher) orbit and the surface of the body. The tether is in equilibrium by the balance of centripetal and gravitational forces acting on it; the payload, i.e. mass extracted from the asteroid, is then lifted to the desired altitude along the tether and, if synchronous orbit is reached, the payload could increase its altitude without further work required. A direct evolution of the space elevator is the orbital siphon concept which is the foundation of this thesis. In this case, rather than a single payload ascending along the tether, a chain of tether-connected masses is envisaged, where the centrifugal-induced pull due to the body's spin can overcome the gravitational force on the payloads, eventually allowing payloads to escape. A chain of payloads can therefore be envisaged to provide a continuous mass flow from the surface of a rotating asteroid into orbit (siphon effect): new payloads are connected to the chain while the top payloads are removed and released into orbit, without the need for external work to be done. The siphon, as with the space elevator, can in principle be used as a payload-raising mechanism on any rotating body. However, contrary to the space elevator, the siphon does not require external work to lift asteroid material below synchronous altitude. In support of mining operations, the siphon can be used to raise mined material to a collecting/processing station in orbit around the asteroid or directly connected to the siphon. Alternatively, the siphon can be used to release material to escape, without the need to use propellant-based methods. This thesis therefore will investigate the dynamics of an orbital siphon anchored at an asteroid and examine a range of applications in the context of asteroid manipulation and resource exploitation. Long-term effects of the siphon operation are discussed, showing that this device allows a significant quantity of mass to be raised to orbit or to escape. It is shown that an optimal siphon length can be chosen, such that the extracted mass is maximised. Key variables, such as achievable mass flow rates, tension on the tethers, timescales and anchor forces are discussed. It is demonstrated that the oscillations of this device resulting from Coriolis forces are damped and the siphon will eventually align with the local vertical if mass is released to a collecting spacecraft connected at the top of the siphon. Moreover, it is proposed that the siphon dynamics could be leveraged to deliver resource payloads to stable equilibria about the asteroid, with a smaller delta-v than direct transfer from the surface, which may be beneficial in a long-term mining scenario. Effects of an irregular gravity field on the siphon dynamics are also examined, using polyhedral shape models of two candidate asteroids. The siphon effect is still generated for the candidate asteroids analysed, even with motion of the anchoring system on the asteroid surface, thus allowing the mining location to be moved without interrupting the flow of material to the collecting spacecraft. If a large quantity of material is released to escape, the siphon effect may also be exploited to induce a small variation to the heliocentric velocity of a potentially hazardous asteroid for impact risk mitigation. It is shown that typical delta-v on the order of 1 cm/s can be achieved within a time window of a decade. Finally, use of the orbital siphon to generate artificial cavities for habitats or storage of mined material is discussed

    Subsurface Planetary Investigation Techniques and Their Role for Assessing Subsurface Planetary Composition

    Get PDF
    Subsurface planetary investigation techniques are of high interest and importance for the scientific community. Not only they can enhance our knowledge of the history of planetary formation but also can lead to information about its future. Whether the investigation is being conducted remotely using imagers, radars or physically using penetrometers or drills, a pre-existed knowledge of the mechanical and electrical properties of the subsurface regolith should be acquired for better data interpretation and analysis. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to investigate the mechanical and electrical properties of planetary analogs, understand their role for assessing the subsurface structure and identify their character for subsurface investigation techniques. Through-out this research, we investigated the mechanical and electrical properties of regolith analogs with emphasis on testing the feasibility of using penetrometer to explore the subsurface of planetary bodies and estimate their structure and layering. We found probe\u27s diameter and regolith density are the most dominant factors which affect penetration forces. We correlated the mechanical and electrical properties of regolith analogs to geomorphological shape formation. An increase in gully total length corresponds to an increase in dielectric constant, friction angle and formation bulk density which will enhance previous, current and future modelling, interpretation and analysis of optical imagery and radar data. We performed dielectric permittivity and hardness measurements for volcanic rocks in order to provide a cross relation between the dielectric constant of the investigated material and its hardness property. A linear increase in dielectric constant observed along with an increase in rock hardness. This will enhance characterization of the shallow subsurface when investigated using radar and drill/penetrometer
    • …
    corecore