• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.38 no.12
• /
• pp.125-134
• /
• 2022

The Global Expansion Roadmap published by the International Space Exploration Coordination Group, which is organized by space agencies around the world, presents future lunar exploration guidance and stresses a lunar habitat program to utilize lunar resources. The Moon attracts attention as an outpost for deep space exploration. Simulating lunar surface environments is required to evaluate the performances of various equipment for future lunar surface missions. In this paper, an experimental study was conducted to simulate high vacuum pressure and cryogenic temperature of the permanent shadow regions in the lunar south pole, which is a promising candidate for landing and outpost construction. The establishment of an efficient dirty thermal vacuum chamber (DTVC) operation process has never been presented. One-dimensional ground cooling tests were conducted with various vacuum pressures with the Korean Lunar Simulant type-1 (KLS-1) in DTVC. The most advantageous vacuum pressure was found to be 30-80 mbar, considering the cooling efficiency and equipment stability. However, peripheral cooling is also required to simulate a cryogenic for not sublimating ice in a high vacuum pressure. In this study, an efficient peripheral cooling operation process was proposed by applying the frost ratio concept.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.314-320
• /
• 2011

In this work, optimization of two-stage shock absorption system for lunar lander has been carried out. Because of complexity of impact phenomena of shock absorption system, a 1-D constitutive model is proposed to describe the behavior of shock absorption system. Quadratic polynomial regression meta-model is constructed by using a commercial software ABAQUS with the proposed 1-D constitutive model, and sequential approximate optimization of two-stage shock absorption system has been carried out along with the constructed meta-model. Through the optimization, it is verified that landing impact force on lunar lander can be considerably reduced by changing the cell size and foil thickness of honeycomb structure in two-stage shock absorption system.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.38 no.6
• /
• pp.859-865
• /
• 2018

A construction of infrastructures and base station on the moon could be undertaken by linking with the regions where construction materials and energy could be supplied on site. It is necessary to detect craters on the lunar surface and gather their topological information in advance, which forms permanent shaded regions (PSR) in which rich ice deposits might be available. In this study, an effective method for automatic detection of lunar craters on the moon surface is taken into consideration by employing a latest version of deep-learning algorithm. A training of a deep-learning algorithm is performed by involving the still images of 90000 taken from the LRO orbiter on operation by NASA and the label data involving position and size of partly craters shown in each image. the Faster RCNN algorithm, which is a latest version of deep-learning algorithms, is applied for a deep-learning training. The trained deep-learning code was used for automatic detection of craters which had not been trained. As results, it is shown that a lot of erroneous information for crater's positions and sizes labelled by NASA has been automatically revised and many other craters not labelled has been detected. Therefore, it could be possible to automatically produce regional maps of crater density and topological information on the moon which could be changed through time and should be highly valuable in engineering consideration for lunar construction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
• /
• 2002.10b
• /
• pp.389-396
• /
• 2002

In XXI century it is necessary to expect the recommencement and development of activities on mastering the Moon. In the long term it is construction of manned lunar bases with industrial, astrophysical, procuring, repair equipment and services. Interplanetary flights from the Moon demand smaller power expenditures, than from the Earth, therefore it is favourable to use its surface for the construction of space-vehicle launching sites. Flights of devices in libration points in the system 'Earth - Moon' are considered. Experience of engineering system creation for the Moon displays the great complexity in provision of serviceability and reliability of friction units. Open friction units should operate under following conditions on the Moon: pressure of environment (vacuum) $p\;>10\;^{-10}$ Pa; wide range of temperature change $+150^{\circ}C\;...170^{\circ}C$; high evaporability of lubricants; influence of temperature gradients and warping of constructions; sublimation of elements of constructional materials; irradiation of different physical nature; effect of micrometeorites; reduced gravitation; influence of abrasive particles of lunar ground; requirements on minimization of size and weight characteristics of a construction (high tension); undesirability (impossibility) of application of liquid and plastic lubricants; vibration, shock, acoustic loadings during start and landings to the Earth; difficulties in repair-regenerative operations in conditions of the Moon etc. Adhesive interaction of conjugated surfaces is the principal reason of possible failures of rubbed units on the Moon. In the research of the Moon automatic interplanetary stations of 'Luna' (USSR), 'Surveyer', 'Apollo' (USA) series were used. Stations executed functions of flying, landing, artificial satellites of the Moon, moon-rovers and manned spacecrafts such as 'Apollo'. The experimental- theoretical researches carried out in the sixtieth years on tribology for conditions of the Moon appeared to be rather useful to engineering of an outer space exploration and the decision of complex problems for the friction units operating in extreme conditions on the Earth. For the creation of highly loaded friction units for the long service life on the Moon it is required not only to use accumulated experience and designed technologies, but also to carry out wide scientific research.

• Journal of Space Technology and Applications
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.86-99
• /
• 2023

The mass spectrometer, being an essential scientific instrument for uncovering the origin of the solar system and life, has been used since the early 1970s on board spacecraft to obtain information of neutral and ionized elements in the atmosphere and surface of the moon, planets, asteroids, and comets. According to the 4th Basic Plan for the Promotion of Space Development (2023-2027), Korea plans to conduct lunar landing in 2032 and Mars landing in 2045 as the core goals of the plan and focuses on developing the technologies required for unmanned robotic exploration missions. In this regard, it is crucial to develop the technology of a mass spectrometer, which is the most fundamental payload for space exploration for maximized scientific achievements, however never tried before in any domestic space missions. We describe in this paper the principle of a domestically developed quadrupole mass spectrometer, its prototype model, and the test results of its performance. We conclude this paper with intended future improvements.