Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T18:08:07.875Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Metal Alloy Propellants Produced from Lunar Resources

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Aloysius F. Hepp ,
Diane L. Linne  and
Geoffrey A. Landis
Aloysius F. Hepp
Affiliation:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, John H. Glenn Research Center, Lewis Field, Cleveland, OH 44135
Diane L. Linne
Affiliation:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, John H. Glenn Research Center, Lewis Field, Cleveland, OH 44135
Geoffrey A. Landis
Affiliation:
Ohio Aerospace Institute, Brook Park, OH 44142
Get access

Abstract

The ultimate success of a permanent lunar base will depend upon the use of available resources. Two important resources available on the moon are oxygen and metals. We examine issues, including lunar resources, processing, power, and engine performance, surrounding the use of lunar resources for metal/oxygen engines, including the performance of metal alloys as rocket fuels. Results of this analysis have uncovered several promising candidates including alloys of Al-Ca, Al-Mg, Al-Si, Ca-Mg, and Ca-Si.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 551: Symposium JJ – Materials in Space-Science, Technology & Exploration , 1998 , 39
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Lunar Sourcebook, Heiken, G., Vaniman, D. and French, B.M. (eds.), Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 1991.Google Scholar
2 Burt, D.M., American Scientist, 77, 574–579 (1989).Google Scholar
3 Waldron, R.D., Erstfeld, T.E., and Criswell, D.R., in Space Manufacturing 3, Grey, J. and Krop, C. (eds.), AIAA: Washington D.C.,, 1979, pp. 113–127.Google Scholar
4 Phinney, W.C., Criswell, D.R., Drexler, E. and Garmirian, J., Prog. Astronaut. Aeronaut., 57, 97–123 (1977).Google Scholar
5 Waldron, R.D. and Criswell, D.R., "Materials Processing in Space," in Space Industrialization, Vol. 1, O‘Leary, B. (ed.), CRC Press, Inc., pp. 97–130 (1982).Google Scholar
6 Part I of Resources of Near Earth Space, Lewis, J., Matthews, M.S., and Guerrieri, M.L. eds., University of Arizona Press, Tucson (1993).Google Scholar
7 Williams, R.J., in Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century, Mendell, W.W. (ed.), Lunar and Planetary Institute: Houston, TX, 1985, pp. 551–558.Google Scholar
8 Cutler, A.H. and Krag, P., in Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century, Mendell, W.W. (ed.), Lunar and Planetary Institute: Houston, TX, 1985, pp. 559–569.Google Scholar
9 Rosenberg, S.D., Guter, G.A. and Miller, F.E., Aerospace Chem. Eng. 62, 228–234 (1966).Google Scholar
10 Semkow, K.W. and Sammells, A. F., J. Electrochem. Soc. 134, 2088–2089 (1987).Google Scholar
11 Rao, G.M., Elwell, D. and Feigelson, R.S., J. Electrochem. Soc. 127, 1940–1944 (1980).Google Scholar
12 Sparks, D.R., Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets 25, 187–189 (1988).Google Scholar
13 Hepp, A.F., Linne, D.L., Landis, G.A., Wadel, M.F., and Colvin, J.E., Journal of Propulsion and Power 10, 834–840 (1994).Google Scholar
14 Landis, G.A., in Space Manufacturing 7, Faughnan, B. and Maryniak, G. (eds), AIAA: Washington, D.C., 1989, pp. 290–296.Google Scholar
15 Landis, G.A., Journal of Propulsion and Power 8, 251–254 (1992).Google Scholar
16 Landis, G.A., Bailey, S.G., Brinker, D.J. and Flood, D.J., Acta Astron. 22, 197–203 (1990).Google Scholar
17 Landis, G.A. and Perino, M.A., in Space Manufacturing 7, Faughnan, B. and Maryniak, G. (eds.), AIAA: Washington, D.C., 1989, pp. 144–151.Google Scholar
18 Landis, G.A., and Hepp, A.F., in Proceedings of the European Space Power Conference1, ESA SP-320, European Space Agency: Noordwijk, Netherlands, 1991, pp. 517–522.Google Scholar
19 Binary Alloy Phase Diagrams, 2nd edition, Vols 1–3, Massalski, T.B. et al. (eds.), ASM International: Materials Park, OH, 1990.Google Scholar