A METHOD TO PREPARE LUNAR SOIL SIMULANT FOR DRILLING COLLECTING TEST

摘要

The lunar soil in the subsurface of moon is much tougher than it is on the lunar surface. It is necessary to prepare the lunar soil simulant with higher bulk density for the lunar soil drilling and collecting experiment. To fulfilling the mission of lunar explore in near future for obtaining lunar soil, a kind of lunar soil simulant was designed with various bulk density. The new lunar soil simulant is for the subsurface drilling test but not for lunar rover on the surface of moon. A special device was developed for preparing the lunar soil simulant to required higher bulk density by means of vibration. Equipments for measuring the hardness and shear property were developed to control the properties of tested lunar soil simulant. By adjusting experimental operating parameters, designed bulk density could be obtained. Effect factors for density of lunar soil simulant were discussed based on experiment results. The bulk density of tested simulant could be vibrated to very high lever. The relative density of tested lunar soil simulant can reach 85% to 100% which match the subsurface density condition of moon.