SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AEROSPACE REPORTS

A Biweekly Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
VOLUME 44, ISSUE 12 - JUNE 20, 2006

91 LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION
Includes planetology; selenology; meteorites; comets; and manned and unmanned planetary and lunar flights.

For spacecraft design or space stations see 18 Spacecraft Design, Testing and Performance.

20060013538 NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA

Lunar Surface Mission Operations Scenario and Considerations

Arnold, Larissa S.; Torney, Susan E.; Rask, John Doug; Bleisath, Scott A.; January 2006; 31 pp.; In English; Space Ops 2006 Conference, 19-23 June 2006, Rome, Italy; Original contains color illustrations Contract(s)/Grant(s): 321379.09.01.01.10.04; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A03, Hardcopy

Planetary surface operations have been studied since the last visit of humans to the Moon, including conducting analog missions. Mission Operations lessons from these activities are summarized. Characteristics of forecasted surface operations are compared to current human mission operations approaches. Considerations for future designs of mission operations are assessed. Author

Lunar Exploration; Lunar Surface; Planetary Surfaces; Space Exploration; Moon; Lunar Bases

20060013539 NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA

Mission Architecture Comparison for Human Lunar Exploration

Geffre, Jim; Robertson, Ed; Lenius, Jon; January 2006; 1 pp.; In English; 1st Exploration Conference, 30 Jan. - 1 Feb. 2005, Orlando, FL, USA; No Copyright; Avail.: Other Sources; Abstract Only

The Vision for Space Exploration outlines a bold new national space exploration policy that holds as one of its primary objectives the extension of human presence outward into the Solar System, starting with a return to the Moon in preparation for the future exploration of Mars and beyond. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is currently engaged in several preliminary analysis efforts in order to develop the requirements necessary for implementing this objective in a manner that is both sustainable and affordable. Such analyses investigate various operational concepts, or mission architectures , by which humans can best travel to the lunar surface, live and work there for increasing lengths of time, and then return to Earth. This paper reports on a trade study conducted in support of NASA s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate investigating the relative merits of three alternative lunar mission architecture strategies. The three architectures use for reference a lunar exploration campaign consisting of multiple 90-day expeditions to the Moon s polar regions, a strategy which was selected for its high perceived scientific and operational value. The first architecture discussed incorporates the lunar orbit rendezvous approach employed by the Apollo lunar exploration program. This concept has been adapted from Apollo to meet the particular demands of a long-stay polar exploration campaign while assuring the safe return of crew to Earth. Lunar orbit rendezvous is also used as the baseline against which the other alternate concepts are measured. The first such alternative, libration point rendezvous, utilizes the unique characteristics of the cislunar libration point instead of a low altitude lunar parking orbit as a rendezvous and staging node. Finally, a mission strategy which does not incorporate rendezvous after the crew ascends from the Moon is also studied.

In this mission strategy, the crew returns directly to Earth from the lunar surface, and is thus referred to as direct return. Figures of merit in the areas of safety and mission success, mission effectiveness, extensibility, and affordability are used to evaluate and compare the lunar orbit rendezvous, libration point rendezvous, and direct return architectures, and this paper summarizes the results of those assessments. Author

Lunar Exploration; Space Exploration; Lunar Orbits; Orbital Rendezvous; Expeditions; Moon; Lunar Surface

20060013652NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA

Lunar In Situ Materials-Based Habitat Technology Development Efforts at NASA/MSFC

Bodiford, Melanie P.; Burks, K. H.; Perry M. R.; Cooper, R.W.; Fiske, M. R.; [2006]; 8 pp.; In English; 10th ASCE Aerospace Division International Conference on Engineering, Construction, and Operation in Challenging Environments: Earth and Space 2006, 5-8 Mar. 2006, League City, TX, USA; Original contains black and white illustrations Contract(s)/Grant(s): NNM05AB50C; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A02, Hardcopy

For long duration missions on other planetary bodies, the use of in situ materials will become increasingly critical. As man's presence on these bodies expands, so must the structures to accommodate them including habitats, laboratories, berms, garages, solar storm shelters, greenhouses, etc. The use of in situ materials will significantly offset required launch upmass and volume issues. Under the auspices of the In Situ Fabrication & Repair (ISFR) Program at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Habitat Structures project has been developing materials and construction technologies to support development of these in situ structures. This paper will report on the development of several of these technologies at MSFC's Prototype Development Laboratory (PDL). These technologies include, but are not limited to, development of extruded concrete and inflatable concrete dome technologies based on waterless and water-based concretes, development of regolith-based blocks with potential radiation shielding binders including polyurethane and polyethylene, pressure regulation systems for inflatable structures, production of glass fibers and rebar derived from molten lunar regolith simulant, development of regolithbag structures, and others, including automation design issues. Results to date and planned efforts for FY06 will also be presented. Author

In Situ Resource Utilization; Habitats; Shelters; Greenhouses; Construction; Inflatable Structures; Concretes

20060014048 Cornell Univ., NY, USA

Lunar Helium 3: Preliminary Prospectus

Lee, D. M.; Reppy, J. D.; Proceedings of the 2004 NASA/JPLWorkshop on Physics for Planetary Exploration; [2004]; 6 pp.; In English; See also 20060014017; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A02, Hardcopy; Available from CASI on CD-ROM only as part of the entire parent document

It has been known since the Moon landings that He-3 was present in the top layer of the lunar surface (the regolith). Estimates of 10(exp 6) tons of He-3 contained in the lunar regolith have been made on the basis of the gases evolved from lunar rocks that have been returned to the Earth. Helium is a major component of the solar wind. The gases trapped and stored in the regolith are mainly hydrogen (96%) and helium (4%). The helium gas in rocks recovered from the Sea of Tranquility contains 1 part in 2600 He-3. These gases can be recovered from lunar soils and rocks by heating to about 600 C. We are interested in pursuing further studies of the gas content of rocks returned from the lunar regolith by our astronauts. The purpose of these studies will be to increase our knowledge of the availability of 3He on the Moon and to develop the best procedures to extract 3He gas samples and to store them in the liquid state to facilitate their transfer back to the Earth. For this purpose, it would be desirable if lunar samples from the regolith could be furnished by NASA for these studies. Derived from text

Lunar Geology; Helium Isotopes; Regolith; Extraction; Hydrogen; Helium; Lunar Surface; Lunar Soil; Lunar Rocks; Heating

20060015655 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA

Linking Yellowstone Research to Mars Exploration

DesMarais, David J.; [2006]; 1 pp.; In English; AnnualWinter Astronomy Lecture Series Museum of the Rockies, 23-25 Feb. 2006, Bozeman, MT, USA Contract(s)/Grant(s): 344-53-3D; No Copyright; Avail.: Other Sources; Abstract Only

Yellowstone's hydrothermal features and their associated communities of thermophiles are studied by scientists who are searching for evidence of life on other planets. The connection is extreme environments. If life originated in the extreme conditions thought to have been widespread on ancient Earth, it may well have developed on other planets and it might still exist today. The chemosynthetic microbes that thrive in some of Yellowstone s hot springs do so by metabolizing inorganic chemicals, a source of energy that does not require sunlight. Such chemical energy sources provide the most likely habitable niches for life on Mars or on the moons of Jupiter-Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto-where uninhabitable surface conditions preclude photosynthesis. Chemical energy sources, along with extensive groundwater systems (such as on Mars) or oceans beneath icy crusts (such as Jupiter's moons) could provide habitats for life. The study of stromatolites on Earth may also be applied to the search for life on other planets. If stromatolites are eventually found in the rocks of Mars or on other planets, we will have proven that life once existed elsewhere in the universe. Yellowstone National Park will continue to be an important site for studies at the physical and chemical limits of survival. These studies will give scientists a better understanding of the conditions that give rise to and support life, and they will learn how to recognize signatures of life in ancient rocks and on distant planets. Author

Mars Exploration; Yellowstone National Park (ID-MT-WY); Extraterrestrial Life; Jupiter Satellites; Photosynthesis; Microorganisms; Rocks; Surface Properties

20060016348 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA, BAE Systems, Huntsville, AL, USA

Development of Standardized Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials

Carpenter, P.; Sibille, L.; Wilson, S.; [2006]; 2 pp.; In English; Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 13-17 Mar. 2006, League City, TX, USA; Original contains black and white illustrations Contract(s)/Grant(s): NAS8-02096; No Copyright; Avail.: CASI: A01, Hardcopy

Lunar exploration requires scientific and engineering studies using standardized testing procedures that ultimately support flight certification of technologies and hardware. It is necessary to anticipate the range of source materials and environmental constraints that are expected on the Moon and Mars, and to evaluate in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) coupled with testing and development. Physical properties of the regolith dominate processes such as excavation and drilling, while chemical properties dominate processes such as elemental extraction. We describe here the development of standardized lunar regolith simulant (SLRS) materials that are traceable interlaboratory standards for testing and technology development. These SLRS materials must simulate the lunar regolith in terms of physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. A comprehensive simulant development program has been outlined and is in progress. A summary of these issues is contained in the 2005 Workshop on Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials Derived from text

Lunar Exploration; Mineralogy; Regolith; Excavation; Drilling; Chemical Properties; Standardization; Lunar Rocks

Source: NASA