Transcript RETURN TO THE MOON

University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
RETURN TO THE MOON: THIS TIME TO STAY
Larry Taylor
Dawn Taylor
Planetary Geosciences Institute
Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences
University of Tennessee
July 20, 1969
Dec. 12, 1972
It is the Heritage of Mankind that We are Explorers,
to Go Where No Person has Gone Before.
In January, 2004, President Bush
established a national program of
returning humans to space, first to
the Moon, then Mars, and beyond.
With Exploration and Settling of the Moon,
We must Learn to “Live Off the Land”, in much
the same way Our Ancestors Settled America.
South Pole / Amundsen
Water-IceSite
??
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
Living Conditions on the Moon
No Atmosphere
-
Deep Vacuu
Temperatures: Equator:
Day = +125 0
Avg.
Poles: Dark =
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
Our Unhappy Moon
30 - 100,000 MPH
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
Micrometeorite Impacts on a Lunar Glass Bead
Projectile Φ
Crater Φ
5 mm
Projectile
=
1
10
0.5 mm
5 mm
= 1/100th the diameter
of a hair on your head
Impact Craters
Courtesy
Dave McKay
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
Lunar Soil Formation
Comminution, Agglutination, & Vapor Deposition
The major Weathering and Erosional agent on the Moon is
Meteorite / Micrometeorite Impacts.
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
SEM
100 mm
Polished
section
as viewed in
Reflected
Light
Ilmenite
Volcanic Glass Bead
Courtesy – Dave McKay
Agglutinates
Gas
Vesicule
Agglutinitic Glass
50 mm
Rocklet
Pieces of minerals, rocks, and glass welded together by shock-melt glass
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
SEM - BSE
all white beads = Metallic Iron (Fe0)
Milky Way of
nanophase Feo
1 mm
Fe0
All Impact Glass has Metallic Fe
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
OF LUNAR SOILS
 Abundance of NanoLunar Soil Increases as
Particles Decreases;
phase Fe0 in
Grain Size of the
 Magnetic Susceptability of Soil Particles Increases
as Grain Size Decreases;
 All <50 mm Particles (~50 wt%) of Lunar Soil are Easily
Attracted by a simple Hand-held Magnet.
(Taylor et al., 2005)
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
Apollo 17 Astronaut
Harrison H. (Jack) Schmitt
Dusty Lunatic
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
Lunar Dust Effects: Must be Addressed
before any Commercial Presence
on the Moon can be Fully Evaluated.
 Potential for settling on all thermal and optical surfaces,
such as Solar cells and mirrors; and
 Coatings, on seals, gaskets, optical lens, windows,
electrical components, astronaut suits, etc.; and
 Abrasiveness, with regards to friction-bearing surfaces;
 Physiological effects on humans, especially with respect
to the lungs, the lymph system, and potentially the
cardiovascular system, in the case of extremely fine
particles.
“Lunar Dust Hay Fever”, Jack Schmitt
SOLUTION: Magnetic brushes ??
ANOTHER WHITE HOUSE LEAK!!
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
MICROWAVE RADIATION for DUST MITIGATION
 There is an entire subculture of people who derive
pleasure from putting strange things in
microwave ovens
 Things that microwave oven manufacturers would
strenuously suggest should not be put there.
In the hands of these people :




Table grapes produce glowing plasmas;
Soap bars mutate into abominable soap monsters;
Compact discs incandesce;
Even ‘Wet Poodles’ have been known to “explode.”
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
Microwave Heating of Lunar Soil
NanoPhase Fe0 in Silicate Glass
so small as to be below the effective “skin depth”
of microwave penetration; makes for
GREAT MICROWAVE COUPLING!
Lunar soil in your kitchen microwave oven
will melt [~1200 0C],
BEFORE your tea-water boils [100 0C]!!
Taylor & Meek (2005)
Performed in the Hot-node of a Multimode Oven
Initial Experiments
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
LUNAR SOIL PROCESSING & PRODUCTS
SINTERING and MELTING
Creating Smooth-Sintered to Glassy Surfaces on the Moon
Microwave Source
Primary Cone
of Microwaves
Parabolic
Metal
Reflector
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
LUNAR SOIL PROCESSING & PRODUCTS
SINTERING and MELTING
 Roads
 Antenna Dishes
 Buildings
 Landing Pads
 Recovery of Volatiles
 Glass Fiber Production
 Oxygen Production
SUGGESTIONS ??
Dual Power Monitor
Flexible Waveguide
3-Port Circulator
3-Stub Tuner
Precision Sliding
Short Circuit
Short Dummy Load
Applicator Chamber
Prof. Taylor Vodka
From Russian colleagues
A Single Magnetron
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
2.45GHz, JSC-1 Temperature Ramp
o
Temperature, C
50 Watts
1 gm Pellet,
2000
1750 0C
1500
(3182 0C)
1000
10 sec
500
0
0
5
10
15
20
Time, sec
RUN-AWAY MICROWAVE HEATING - >1000 0C/10 seconds
University of Tennessee, Planetary Geosciences Institute
Larry Taylor, [email protected]
TIME FOR ANOTHER WALK ON THE MOON
Coming Along?
Courtesy, Jack Schmitt
NASA PHOTO