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Cited by 15Innovations in Concrete and Construction MaterialsAdditive Manufacturing and 3D Printing TechnologiesPlanetary Science and Exploration

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 4 of the 5 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Selection, Production, and Properties of Regolith Polymer Composites for Lunar Construction

Gelino, Nathan J., Smith, Jackson. L., Irwin, Tesia D., Lipscomb, Thomas A., Bell, Evan A., Malott, David I., Pfund, Stephen J., Herrera, Leonel H., Gomes, Caela G., Gibson, Tracy L., Hwang, Julian. Z., McLeod, Connor J., Sibille, Laurent, Gudino, Marco A.·2024·2024 IEEE Aerospace Conference
DOI 10.1109/aero58975.2024.10521133
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Abstract

NASA’s Artemis Program seeks to establish a long-term presence on the Moon to enable scientific exploration and expand the cis-lunar economy by utilizing lunar resources through public-private and international partnerships. Over the next decades, a lunar spaceport will need to be established to provide the services and facilities that are necessary to achieve this goal. Robotic construction technologies using in-situ materials must be developed to build up enabling infrastructure such as launch/landing pads, blast protection, power/communications infrastructure, improved roads, improved operational surfaces, and radiation protection shelters. Kennedy Space Center’s Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations laboratory at Swamp Works has partnered with SpaceFactory and LERA Consulting Structural Engineers to develop the architectural and structural design of an unpressurized lunar shelter. The shelter, called Lunar Infrastructure Asset (LINA), is designed to support 2.3 m of regolith overburden to protect astronauts and surface assets from radiation, meteoroid impact, thermal gradients/cycling, and to withstand moonquakes. LINA’s structural design criteria and the resulting structure design are detailed in separate papers. A Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) construction process using regolith polymer composites has been developed and is detailed in a separate publication. This paper presents material formulations and selection rationale for each of the composite components that were examined. Formulations include 70:30, 80:20, and 85:15 wt.% mixture ratios of lunar mare simulant Black Point-1 (BP-1): Polylactic Acid (PLA), 80:20 Lunar Highlands Simulant-1 (LHS-1): PLA and an 80:20 BP-1: PLA formulation with a flow enhancer additive. Test samples were printed in simulated lunar dirty thermal vacuum conditions (-190 °C, 10-3 torr). A series of tests were performed on each formulation to characterize the achieved mixture ratio, mechanical strength properties, off-gassing products during vacuum printing, and porosity and density of printed products. The LHS-1: PLA formulation yielded an advantageous combination of properties and was used in a final test that additively constructed a sub-scaled LINA on regolith simulant in dirty vacuum conditions. The materials and construction process presented in this paper are considered to be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 with additional testing necessary to characterize long term lunar environmental exposure effects.

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1109/aero58975.2024.10521133

Cites

4 of 4 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Claims other papers make about this one

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  • The 80:20 LHS-1 weight percent formulation was selected as the preferred material because the regolith simulant closely represents the south polar Lunar regions and the composite has acceptable mechanical properties.

    “The 80:20 LHS-1 weight percent formulation was selected as the preferred material because the regolith simulant closely represents the south polar Lunar regions and the composite has acceptable mechanical properties.”

    From A comprehensive review of lunar-based manufacturing and construction (2024) · cites this paper as [192]

  • The 80:20 LHS-1 formulation achieved a flexural modulus of 5.3 GPa and flexural strength of 24 MPa in the 0° orientation.

    “This formulation achieved a flexural modulus of 5.3 GPa and flexural strength of 24 MPa in the 0 ◦ orientation.”

    From A comprehensive review of lunar-based manufacturing and construction (2024) · cites this paper as [192]

  • The LHS-1/PLA composite exhibited a favorable combination of properties.

    “The LHS-1/PLA composite exhibited a favorable combination of properties and was used in the AM of the samples and the subsequent tests.”

    From A comprehensive review of lunar-based manufacturing and construction (2024) · cites this paper as [192]

Citations

Cites

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1 of the 5 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Sibille, Development of lunar structural design criteria using terrestrial design practices and interpreted lunar conditions, J. Aerosp. Eng.
  2. Pfund, Building on the Moon-Methods for Structural Validation and Architectural Design Implications, J. Aerosp. Eng.
  3. Gelino, Applications of Regolith Polymer Composite FFF Construction in Simulated Lunar Conditions
  4. Mueller, NASA Centennial Challenge: Three Dimensional (3D) Printed Habitat, Phase 3

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Metadata

Authors
Gelino, N. J., Smith, J. L., Irwin, T. D., Lipscomb, T. A., Bell, E. A., Malott, D. I., Pfund, S. J., Herrera, L. H., Gomes, C. G., Gibson, T. L., Hwang, J. Z., McLeod, C. J., Sibille, L., & Gudino, M. A.
Affiliations
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (US)
  • Engineering Research and Consulting LLC,FL,32899
  • SpaceFactory Inc,Secaucus,NJ,07094
  • LERA Consulting Structural Engineers RLLP,New York,NY,10005
ORCID
Gudino, Marco A.
Venue
2024 IEEE Aerospace Conference
Publisher
IEEE
Published
2024-03-02
Pages
1-21
ISSN
1095-323X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1109/aero58975.2024.10521133
OpenAlex
W4396853563
Cited by
15
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3
FWCI
15.78
Type
conference paper
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering › Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Space and Planetary Science › Planetary Science and Exploration
Keywords
lunar construction, in-situ resource utilization, polylactic acid, lunar regolith simulant, fused deposition modeling, material formulation, mechanical strength, outgassing, porosity and density, Artemis program, lunar infrastructure

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