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Full-Text Articles in Space Habitation and Life Support
Performance Comparison Of A Low Mass Vibratory Lunar Surface Compactor In Vacuum Versus Atmosphere, Robin D. Austerberry
Performance Comparison Of A Low Mass Vibratory Lunar Surface Compactor In Vacuum Versus Atmosphere, Robin D. Austerberry
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
As space agencies prepare to return to the moon, an emphasis is being placed on establishing a sustained human presence that requires permanent structures and supporting infrastructure, making site preparation a critical factor. Michigan Technological University’s Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab has developed a novel low-mass surface compaction tool for use on a site preparation vehicle in collaboration with Colorado School of Mines. Testing in vacuum is necessary to simulate a relevant environment, which is required to increase the technology readiness level of this tool to TRL 5. Testing concluded significant interactions between the presence of atmosphere and other factors. …
System-Level Assessment Of Non-Ideal Phase Change Material Behavior In Low Earth Orbit Spacecraft Thermal Control Models, Nathan S. Bruursema
System-Level Assessment Of Non-Ideal Phase Change Material Behavior In Low Earth Orbit Spacecraft Thermal Control Models, Nathan S. Bruursema
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Phase change materials (PCMs) are of interest in spacecraft thermal control because their latent heat capacity can provide passive thermal buffering during transient or cyclic heat loads. PCM behavior is often treated using idealized assumptions such as repeatable phase transition temperatures, consistent thermal accessibility across cycles, and full latent recovery. However, practical PCM behavior may be affected by non-ideal phenomena such as supercooling, interfacial resistance, and degradation of internal transport accessibility. This thesis examines the system-level relevance of these effects for low Earth orbit (LEO) spacecraft thermal control and identifies the operating conditions under which non-ideal PCM behavior becomes design-relevant. …
Gravity Fed Hopper Flow Of Bulk Solids For Lunar Isru, Jason Bendixen Noe
Gravity Fed Hopper Flow Of Bulk Solids For Lunar Isru, Jason Bendixen Noe
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
With the return to the moon in the decade of the 2020s, there has been a renaissance of lunar technology development and innovation. This has been particularly true for the area of lunar ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization). One key area in ISRU that has been neglected is lunar regolith storage hopper research. Many lunar regolith ISRU researchers use storage hoppers in their work but do not document the properties when designing the hoppers or do not have the information at hand. Because of this, hopper design and documentation are poorly understood, and more research is needed. Hoppers are vital for …
Wireless Power Transfer In Autonomous Mobile Microgrids, Carl Greene
Wireless Power Transfer In Autonomous Mobile Microgrids, Carl Greene
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
The ability to autonomously dock unmanned ground vehicles plays a key role in mobile micro-grids, where efficient power transfer is paramount. The approach utilized in this work allows for near-field wireless power transfer in remote locations with minimal support. Establishing a micro-grid power system connection autonomously using wireless power eliminates the arduous task of designing a complex, multiple degrees of freedom (MDOF) robotic arm. The work presented in this thesis focuses on both the hardware and software within the micro-grid system. This particular near-field wireless system consists of a primary and secondary set of modules, comprised of Litz wire coils, …
Calorimetric Measurements Of Lunar Regolith Simulant And Water. An Experimental Study Correlating Weight Percent Water And Temperature Change Through Periods Of Phase Change., George B. Johnson
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Permanently Shaded Regions (PSRs) are cold traps located around the lunar south pole that have been confirmed to contain possible interesting quantities or volatiles such as H2O, CO2, SO2, CH4, and others. [1] The identification of these volatiles on the lunar surface was a critical step in the development of NASA’s strategic goals for scientific discoveries, sustained space travel and exploration, and re-establishing a human presence on the moon. These volatiles are vital to the future of operating in and exploring space. The LCROSS impact revealed the existence of these resources in PSRs but more information is needed about the …