Mössbauer and EPR spectra for glasses and glass-ceramics prepared from simulated compositions of Lunar and Martian soils

In situ resource processing and utilization on planetary bodies is an important and integral part of NASA’s space exploration program. Within this scope and context, our general effort is primarily aimed at developing glass and glass-ceramic type materials using Lunar and Martian soils, and exploring various application potentials of these materials for planetary surface operations. This paper reports the successful preparation of glasses from the melts of simulated composition of Lunar and Martian soils, and thermal and structural characterization using differential thermal analysis (DTA), Mössbauer and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Glass-ceramic materials were developed from these glasses using selective heat treatment, and were also analyzed by Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopy. The crystalline phases formed at different stages of heat treatment were analyzed and identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Potential applications envisaged up to this time of these glasses/glass-ceramics on the surface of Moon or Mars are discussed.