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Microwave Extraction of Lunar Water for Rocket FuelNearly 50% of the lunar surface is oxygen, present as oxides in silicate rocks and soil. Methods for reduction of these oxides could liberate the oxygen. Remote sensing has provided evidence of significant quantities of hydrogen possibly indicating hundreds of millions of metric tons, MT, of water at the lunar poles. If the presence of lunar water is verified, water is likely to be the first in situ resource exploited for human exploration and for LOX-H2 rocket fuel. In-Situ lunar resources offer unique advantages for space operations. Each unit of product produced on the lunar surface represents 6 units that need not to be launched into LEO. Previous studies have indicated the economic advantage of LOX for space tugs from LEO to GEO. Use of lunar derived LOX in a reusable lunar lander would greatly reduce the LEO mass required for a given payload to the moon. And Lunar LOX transported to L2 has unique advantages for a Mars mission. Several methods exist for extraction of oxygen from the soil. But, extraction of lunar water has several significant advantages. Microwave heating of lunar permafrost has additional important advantages for water extraction. Microwaves penetrate and heat from within not just at the surface and excavation is not required. Proof of concept experiments using a moon in a bottle concept have demonstrated that microwave processing of cryogenic lunar permafrost simulant in a vacuum rapidly and efficiently extracts water by sublimation. A prototype lunar water extraction rover was built and tested for heating of simulant. Microwave power was very efficiently delivered into a simulated lunar soil. Microwave dielectric properties (complex electric permittivity and magnetic permeability) of lunar regolith simulant, JSC-1A, were measured down to cryogenic temperatures and above room temperature. The microwave penetration has been correlated with the measured dielectric properties. Since the microwave penetration depth is a function of temperature and frequency, an extraction system can be designed for water removal from different depths.
Document ID
20080036521
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ethridge, Edwin C.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Donahue, Benjamin
(Boeing Advanced Systems Co. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Kaukler, William
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
June 23, 2008
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Meeting Information
Meeting: 2008 National Space and Missile Materials Symposium
Location: Henderson, NV
Country: United States
Start Date: June 23, 2008
End Date: June 27, 2008
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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