The space industry has been accelerating technological evolution since its inception. It has resulted in countless innovations being adapted and eventually finding their way into people's everyday life. It has also played a significant role in understanding life itself and the circumstances that are necessary to support it. A crucial step in obtaining an even further understanding of humanity's place in the universe is truly comprehending the Moon and its mysteries. In order to do the previously mentioned a manned research operation to the Moon is necessary. However, doing this requires an in-situ resources utilization (ISRU) approach due to the complexity as well as cost of launching material and equipment to space. The Moon holds a lot of valuable resources from which several critical substances and materials can be extracted, e.g., oxygen and hydrogen. In order to make use of the locally available resources, such as the regolith, a standardized approach is necessary.  There are several ways of designing something tasked with mining the Moon as well as enabling supporting activities, e.g., infrastructure development. A Design Thinking approach was used in order to get clarity regarding on how a concept doing this might look like. This thesis deals with the topic on a high, conceptual level due to the complexity of the subject. The needfinding and literature study provided background and context to design a solution enabling the earlier mentioned goal. The solution is a swarm system of Lunar rovers that are capable of operating together, as a unit, as well as on their own depending on the nature of the task that is performed. The activities are performed by interchangeable tool modules operated by the robots rather than the robots themselves. This provides prerequisites for a more flexible as well as resilient mission operation compared to many other scenarios. The interchangeable modules mechanism is the most important aspect of the proposed concept. Another important aspect concerning the platform of the concept is that it enables an infrastructure for new activities post-launch as long as the module fulfills some constraints. The thesis provides concepts for the robot, a regolith collector module as well as the container module. As a means of verifying the concept, a subsystem was selected and tested. The subsystem that was chosen was the module exchanging mechanism. Thus, a conceptual version of this was built and tested. The test was delimited and intended to determine whether an approach using screws and movable arms was appropriate to pick up a simplified container module. The test performed concluded that the subsystem has potential, even though a more similar mechanism to the one actually envisioned would be necessary to test. However, there are certain iterations that beneficially may be performed prior to a complete representation of the module equipping mechanism is built.

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<p> The last decade has seen a proliferation of spaceflight ventures, sparking a new commercial Space Race. Companies ranging in size from SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic to startups with just a few employees have submitted designs for a Lunar Lander. As the world shifts its attention back to the Moon, reducing mass and increasing safety in these systems has become vital. One avenue to weight reduction may be the legs of the lander. This experiment measures the heating of lunar lander legs from interaction with the lander’s rocket exhaust plume. The temperature of the legs was measured using thermocouples and thermochromic paint. Thirty-two thermocouples were attached in a grid pattern to generate a temperature map of the leg. Removable thermochromic paint shields provide an immediate temperature indicator so that leg distance and angle can be quickly adjusted without having to view the thermocouple temperature data. Heat transfer is also measured on the shield, finding radiation and convection. Ground tests show that the test methods, instruments, and hardware are reliable. Ground tests also show that the most significant heating and convection in ground-leg interactions occur on the bottom foot of the lander, with little heating on the top half of the leg. Further study of this heating will be vital for the future of lunar research </p>

The prospect of mining the moon to extract valuable resources that facilitates upcoming space exploration is what the space industry invests in, in recent years.The Lunar exploration is a solid stepping stone to enable further space exploratory missions, especially Mars. However, Moon mining is extremely complex and requires infrastructure before it begins. The CSMC is a Lunar regolith mining company which aims to process oxygen and hydrogen for both fuel and life support in-situ. Since it costs a fortune to transport the resources to the Moon’s sites, these operations will support the development of the infrastructure and technology necessary to create a robust ex-terran economy, benefiting humanity for generations to come. To fulfill this goal, the existing resources in the regolith should be detected by 3D mapping the subterrain of the Moon using sensors. These sensors need to be deposited on the Moon by a rover and would relay the signals back to the rover (and eventually the earth) for processing. This project develops a conceptual design for the configuration and deployment of the sensor probes and analysis. This concept would then form the basis for weight, and stowed envelope estimates as well as ConOps requirements. Then the design undergoes structural analysis to validate the concept’s reliability. The main focus of this thesis is on the structural analysis of the design and evaluating it based on the stress and vibration requirements in excessive environmental conditions. To do so, we used the general steps of NASA’s structural analysis procedure in the conceptual design phase which includes stress analysis, modal analysis, optimization, and redesign. Optimizing the weight of the structure has significant importance in the space sector. So, considering the trade-off between the weight and strength of the structure we redesigned the initial design to achieve lower weight. The digital prototyping and analysis is conducted in Autodesk Inventor and the main parts of the systems are prototyped using the 3D printing method to validate the operation feasibility of the mechanism.

This study investigated an oxidation-reduction reaction involving a mixture of minerals, glass, and aluminum that exhibited thermite-type reaction behavior. Thermite reactions are a class of Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis (SHS) reactions. Chemical reactions between raw minerals and a reducing agent, which exhibit thermite-type reaction behavior, are termed geothermite reactions by the author. Geothermite reactions have the potential for use in In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) applications on the Earth, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. A geothermite reaction was shown to occur between two particle size distributions of lunar regolith simulant. Regolith simulant is a naturally occurring mixture of minerals and glass mined from a volcanic ash deposit. The chemical composition of the simulant is similar to actual lunar regolith found on the Moon. The product of the reaction was a ceramic-composite material. The effect of reactant stoichiometry, regolith simulant particle size, and reaction environment on phase formation, microstructure, and compressive strength of the reaction product was investigated. Reaction environments used in this study included a standard atmosphere and a vacuum environment of 0.600 Torr. In addition, the energy required to initiate each reaction using various reaction parameters was measured. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of reaction products synthesized in a standard atmosphere and in vacuum typically indicated the presence of the chemical species: silicon, corundum (α -Al₂O₃), spinel (MgAl₂O₄), and grossite (CaAl₄O₇). Many additional chemical species were present; their occurrence depended on reaction parameters used during synthesis. Diffraction peaks were observed for phases of aluminum nitride within all reaction products formed in a standard atmosphere. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed the presence of whisker networks throughout the microstructure for all reactions conducted in a standard atmosphere. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) indicated the presence of aluminum and nitrogen within many of the whiskers. It was hypothesized that many of the whisker networks were composed of phases of aluminum nitride. No whisker networks were observed in the vacuum synthesized reaction products. Maximum mean compressive strengths were found to be ~ 18 MPa and occurred in the coarse particle size distribution of simulant using the smallest quantity of aluminum. Reactant mixtures using a coarse particle size distribution of regolith simulant were found to require substantially more energy to initiate the reaction than the simulant with the fine particle size distribution. / Master of Science

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 28-31, 1996 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / In this paper are described the effects that solar and lunar intrusions have on statistical analysis of the data. The NASA ACTS experiment focuses on the 20 and 27 GHz radiometer and beacon. The experiment is currently compiling a database for the attenuation for these different channels. For the year of 1994 our sight obtained 86.5 hours of attenuation and for 1995 our sight obtained 77 hours of attenuation. The total amount of interference time for sun/lunar intrusions for 1994 and 1995 was respectively, 39 hours and 38.5 hours, which is nearly half the total amount of attenuation due to rain and cloud fades. It is clear to see why this data must be taken out for any type of statistical analysis of the data.

The various origins proposed for intercrater plains on Mercury and the Moon lead to divergent thermal, tectonic, and bombardment histories. Relative ages of geologic units and structures place tight constraints on their origin and on the planet's geologic history. Crater statistics, lunar geologic map analysis, and geologic mapping of a quarter of Mercury's surface based on plains units dated relative to crater degradation classes were used to determine relative ages. Such studies provided the basis for deducing the origin of intercrater plains and their role in terrestrial planet evolution. Mercury's extensive intercrater plains span a range of ages contemporaneous with the period of heavy bombardment. Most intercrater plains predate scarp formation and the formation of the hilly and lineated terrain. The age of the latter is identical to that of its probable progenitor, the Caloris basin impact. Post-Caloris plains--smoother in texture, less extensive, and confined to crater depressions--formed as cratering waned and scarp formation progressed. This research indicates that mercurian intercrater plains are volcanic deposits interbedded with ballistically emplaced ejecta and reworked by basin secondaries and smaller impacts. A greater proportion of ejecta may comprise lunar intercrater plains. Neither the lunar nor mercurian intercrater surface is primordial because each preserves pre-plains crateriforms. Ancient volcanism on Mercury is evidenced by widespread plains distribution, structurally controlled deposition, embayment of craters and basins, associated (but tentative) volcanic landforms, losses of small craters, and uncorrelated plains and crater coverage. The limited range of mercurian ejecta reduces the resurfacing potential relative to that of lunar craters. Crater densities are affected by intercrater plains emplacement, additions of secondaries, ancient basin impacts, and target physical properties. "One-plate" thermo-tectonic models best explain the geologic characteristics recognized in this study. Thermal expansion during core formation causes global extension and widespread volcanic extrusions; subsequent cooling and radial contraction form compressional scarps. Younger plains-forming materials issue from magma reservoirs in subsurface tensional zones tapped by impact fractures. The age and stress environment of these volcanic plains suggest a source greater than 40 km depth and a composition different from that of the intercrater plains.

This thesis discusses the ways in which Bret Easton Ellis uses Hamlet and Peter Pan as sources in his novel Lunar Park.

Introdução: As influências lunares e ambientais no início do trabalho de parto ainda são pouco estudadas. Foi avaliada a influência extrínseca em eventos obstétricos. Métodos: em um hospital secundário, situado na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil, foram selecionados 1.826 dias em que ocorreram 17.417 partos. As internações por o trabalho de parto foram associadas à temperatura ambiental, pressão atmosférica, variação das marés e das fases lunares na incidência do excesso deste evento, pelo percentil 75. O índice Z (desvio padrão/ pela média) de cada variável foi calculado e a diferença diária indicou o aumento ou a diminuição. Foi utilizada a análise de regressão logística para a predição do excesso da admissão e p<0,05 foi considerado significativo. Resultados: Os preditores do excesso da internação por trabalho de parto foram: o aumento da temperatura (risco relativo: 1,742, p=0,045) e diminuição da pressão atmosférica (risco relativo: 1,269, p=0,029). O aumento da amplitude das marés foi associado com a probabilidade menor do excesso da internação (risco relativo: 0,762, p=0,030). A fase lunar não era preditora do excesso da admissão (p=0,339). Conclusão: Pela análise multivariada, o aumento da temperatura e a diminuição da pressão atmosférica predisseram a ocorrência do excesso da admissão por trabalho de parto e o aumento da amplitude das marés, como uma medida da força gravitacional lunar, foi preditora de uma menor probabilidade do excesso do trabalho de parto / Background: lunar and environmental influences in vaginal delivery remain unclear. We assessed extrinsic influence in obstetric events. Methods: in a secondary line hospital, located in São Paulo city, Brazil, we selected 1,826 days, in which occurred 17,417 admissions for obstetric labor, and we studied influence of air temperature, atmospheric pressure, tides range, and lunar phases in incidence of excess of obstetric labor, defined as more than 9 admissions per day. Z score (standard deviation from mean) of each variable was calculated, and diary difference to indicate increase or decrease was assessed by logistic regression for prediction of admission excess. Two-side P< 0.05 was considered significant. Results: predictors of admission excess were increase of temperature (relative risk: 1.742, P=0.045), and decrease of atmospheric pressure (relative risk: 1.269, p=0.029). Increase of tides range was associated with lower probability of admission excess (relative risk: 0.762, P=0.030). Lunar phases was not predictor of admission excess (P=0,339). Conclusion: By multivariate analysis, increase of temperature and decrease of atmospheric pressure predicted occurrence of excess of obstetric labor admission, and increase of tidal range, as lunar gravitational force measurement, predicted lower probability of admission excess

Thesis. 1977. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND SCIENCE. / Vita. / Includes bibliographical references. / Ph.D.