'ESA LUNAR IN-SITU RESOURCE UTILISATION (ISRU) BREADBOARDING ACTIVITIES AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR A LUNAR DEMONSTRATOR'

摘要

This paper addresses the final results of the "ISRU Architecture and Technology Study", an ESA Studyperformed by an Italian-Belgian consortium, consisting of Compagnia Generale per lo Spazio (formerly CarloGavazzi Space), Politecnico di Milano and Space Applications Services, aimed at assessing the feasibility ofproducing oxygen in lunar environment extracting it from regolith.The study concentrated its effort on the Carbothermal Reduction process with non-molten phase using Methane.The paper focuses on the results obtained from an experimental test campaign on a process breadboard. Theactivities have been conducted by Politecnico di Milano, Chemistry, Material and Chemical EngineeringDepartment. Here, the tests were aimed, at first, at understanding the behaviour of the Carbothermal Reduction withMethane when a solid-gas reaction is implemented and, then, at verifying the efficiency, in terms of capability toextract oxygen (via water) from the raw material, of such a process. Extensive preliminary investigations have beenperformed also in TGA (Thermal Gravimetric Analysis) in order to drive the experimentation on the breadboard. Forthe tests, two different lunar simulants, the NU-LHT-2M and the JSC-1A, have been used in order to haverepresentative material of both the main lunar regions, Highlands and Maria, and then to be able to estimate thebehaviour of the process also with respect to the different lunar soil compositions.The paper addresses also the results of the definition of a Lunar ISRU System based on the results of the testingon the mentioned process. Technology developments identified during the study have been investigated to assesstheir criticality and to define the conceptual approach to their solution.This activity led to the definition of the requirements for a Lunar ISRU Demonstrator. Particular emphasis isgiven in the paper to the conceptual design of such a Demonstrator. Here, it has been conceived in order to becompatible with the ESA Lunar Lander currently in Phase B1of its development.