Development of Cryogenic Phase Change Materials for Lunar Sample Return

One of the scientific goals of NASA’s Artemis missions is to return regolith samples from the lunar surface. To maintain scientific integrity of these samples, including any volatiles that may exist, cryogenic stowage is desired. FROSTE (Frozen Return Of Samples To Earth) is the element of the Moon to Mars architecture that is tasked with developing and advancing concepts related to this goal. Both active and passive solutions are being considered, but active solutions (cryo-coolers) have high mass and cost penalties.

Phase change materials (PCMs) are commonly used as passive thermal management solutions, particularly for sensitive scientific samples. However, there are currently no PCMs capable of providing cooling at the cryogenic temperatures needed to enable lunar sample return with volatiles intact (<120 K). FROSTE has identified two possible candidate materials that could fill this gap. Testing is required to verify the thermal performance of these materials, as well as gain experience with their handling characteristics. We are conducting this testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center’s Space Environmental Effects laboratory, in vacuum, with liquid nitrogen providing cooling ability below the freezing point of the materials.

In this talk, we will present an overview of the FROSTE program element and share results from the initial development testing of two cryogenic phase change materials.