Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8131836 | Advances in Space Research | 2018 | 18 Pages |
Abstract
The Apollo Program launched numerous missions to the Moon, Earth's nearest and only natural satellite. NASA is now planning new Moon missions as a first step toward human exploration of Mars and other planets. However, the Moon has an extreme environment for humans. In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) construction must be used on the Moon to build habitable structures. Previous studies on polymeric lunar concrete investigated top-down heating for stabilizing the surface. This study investigates bottom-up heating with manufacturing temperatures as low as 200â¯Â°C in a vacuum chamber that simulates the lunar environment. A maximum compressive strength of 5.7â¯MPa is attained; this is suitable for constructing habitable structures. Furthermore, the bottom-up heating approach achieves solidification two times faster than does the top-down heating approach.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Space and Planetary Science
Authors
Jaeho Lee, Ki Yong Ann, Tai Sik Lee, Bahiru Bewket Mitikie,