Scaled Experimental Study On Excavation Of Lunar Regolith With Rakes/Rippers And Flat Blade,
2010
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Scaled Experimental Study On Excavation Of Lunar Regolith With Rakes/Rippers And Flat Blade, Masafumi Iai
Doctoral Dissertations
"As humanity's activities expand to the Moon, Mars, and other extra-terrestrial bodies, it will be necessary to use local resources rather than bringing everything from the Earth. This concept is called In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), which starts with excavation and earthmoving. The present study focuses on loosening and moving of the lunar regolith by a ripper (or rake) and a wide blade with consideration of gravel content. After characterizing the lunar regolith and two of its simulants (JSC-1A and FJS-1), the relationship between the excavation energy and different conditions, namely gravel content, relative density, and tine spacing on a rake, …
