Lunar Simulant Publications
Lunar Simulant Publications
Publications:
Space Resource Technologies' high-fidelity Lunar, Martian, and Asteroid regolith simulants are trusted by trusted by space agencies globally like NASA, ESA, JAXA, and the UAE.
Below are just a few of the nearly 300 scientific publications our regolith simulant analogs have been featured in.
Geomechanical properties of Lunar regolith simulants LHS-1 and LMS-1
By: Long-Fox et al.
The geomechanical properties of mineralogically accurate lunar regolith simulants LHS-1 and LMS-1 are quantified and compared to published properties of lunar highlands and mare regolith, respectively, as well as to previously developed lunar simulants. Properties investigated include mineralogical and chemical composition, particle size distribution, density, shear strength, angle of repose, mass flow rates, and abrasivity.
Predictive Modeling of Mass Flow Rates of Lunar Regolith Simulants
By: Long-Fox et al.
Regolith simulants are essential tools for testing both scientific processes and spaceflight hardware in the absence of the Lunar environment. The Lunar Highlands Regolith Simulant (LHS-1) aims to replicate the mineralogy and particle size distribution of the Lunar highlands regolith, giving it a high fidelity and enabling the space industry to utilize it for testing.
Applicability of Simulants in Developing Lunar Systems and Infrastructure: Geotechnical Measurements of Lunar Highlands Simulant LHS-1
By: Long-Fox et al.
Lunar exploration activities and infrastructure development demand well-constrained information about the geotechnical properties of lunar regolith. Since returned lunar regolith is too scientifically precious to allocate for large-scale geotechnical studies, terrestrial materials must be used to create regolith simulants that reproduce the properties of lunar regolith.
High Fidelity Lunar Agglutinate Simulant
By: Easter et al.
The Lunar Highlands Regolith Simulant (LHS-1) aims to replicate the mineralogy and particle size distribution of the Lunar highlands regolith, giving it a high fidelity and enabling the space industry to utilize it for testing.
Characterization of novel lunar highland and mare simulants for ISRU research applications
By: Britt et al.
Lunar regolith can be utilized for the additive manufacturing of concrete or ceramic parts on the Moon's surface to support permanent human presence on the surface of Earth's natural satellite.
Comparing the Effects of Mineralogy and Particle Size Distribution on the Angle of Repose for Lunar Regolith Simulants
By: Easter et al.
Comparing the effects of mineralogy and particle size distribution on angle of repose for lunar regolith simulants.
The Effect of Sample Mass on the Angle of Repose of Lunar Regolith Simulants
By: Easter et al. The effect of sample mass on the angle of repose of lunar regolith simulants, specifically Exolith Lab's Lunar Highlands (LHS-1) simulant.
Quantitative Analysis of the Shear Strength of Lunar Regolith Simulant for Large-Scale Testing Applications
By: Long-Fox et al.
Since mineralogy dictates the physical and chemical properties of lunar materials, differing simulant mineralogy can be expected to significantly change simulant properties. These differences directly impact the accuracy of the results in studies that are performed with inappropriate simulants.
Direct Shear Measurements of Lunar Regolith Simulants LHS-1, LHS-1D, LMS-1, and LMS-1D
By: Millwater et al.
Lunar exploration, infrastructure design, and Lunar development rely on an understanding of interparticle interactions of the regolith on the surface. Shear strength, a measure of material strength that is caused by opposing forces when one part of a body is pushed in a specific direction, and another part of the body pushes back in the opposite direction, resisting the force.
Replicating the Geotechnical Properties of Lunar Highland Regolith Stratigraphy Using High-Fidelity LHS-1 Simulant
By: Lucas et al.
This study investigates the replication of geotechnical properties of lunar highland regolith using the high-fidelity LHS-1 simulant. Direct measurements of density, particle size distribution, and shear strength were conducted to assess its suitability for lunar infrastructure and mobility testing.
Shear properties of LHS-1 and LMS-1 Lunar regolith simulants
By: Yin et al.
Lunar exploration and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) activities need a better understanding of the geotechnical properties of the Lunar regolith. This study reports the shear characterization of two new Lunar regolith simulants named LHS-1 and LMS-1.
LHS-2E and LSP-2: Expanding Exolith Lab’s Lunar Regolith Simulants to Particle Sizes > 1mm
By: Easter et al.
Providing the space industry with mineralogically accurate simulants: Lunar Highlands Simulant (LHS-1), Lunar Mare Simulant (LMS-1), Lunar Highlands Dust (LHS-1D), Lunar Mare Dust (LMS-1D), and Lunar Highlands Simulant Engineering Grade (LHS-1E).
Thermal Mining of volatiles in lunar regolith simulant
By: Ricardo et al.
Volatiles such as water trapped in lunar Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSR) are key to the sustainability of space exploration and will underpin most economic activities in space. Thermal Mining is a technique to efficiently extract certain volatiles without excavation. This paper discusses experimental results applying Thermal Mining to extracting water ice from lunar regolith simulant using thermal energy from a lamp.
Martian Simulant Publications
Martian Simulant Publications
Cold sintering as a promising ISRU technique: A case study of Mars regolith simulant
By: Karacasulu et al.
Mars regolith simulant (MGS-1) was densified for the first time via a cold sintering process (CSP) as a novel in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) concept. The technique comprises the utilization of NaOH solution as a liquid media during the densification of simulant powder with <100 μm particle size.
Mars global simulant MGS-1: A Rocknest-based open standard for basaltic martian regolith simulants
By: Cannon et al.
The composition and physical properties of martian regolith are dramatically better understood compared to just a decade ago, particularly through the use of X-ray diffraction by the Curiosity rover. Because there are no samples of this regolith on Earth, researchers and engineers rely on terrestrial simulants to test future hardware and address fundamental science and engineering questions.
Interface Direct Shear Tests on JEZ-1 Mars Regolith Simulant
By: Yin et al.
The mechanical behaviors of Martian regolith-structure interfaces are of great significance for the design of rover, development of excavation tools, and construction of infrastructure in Mars exploration. This paper presents an experimental investigation on the properties of a Martian regolith simulant (JEZ-1) through one-dimensional oedometer test, direct shear test, and interface direct shear tests between JEZ-1 and steel plates with different roughness.
Geochemical Composition of MGS-1 Martian Regolith Simulant and the Effects of Electroconductivity on Germination of Brassica rapa Fast Plants
By: Kuklis et al.
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of electroconductivity-adjusted Martian Regolith Simulant (MGS-1) on the germination of Brassica rapa. Regolith electroconductivity (EC) conditions of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3mS/cm were examined. While none of the final percent germinations were significantly different from each other, there was a trend towards higher germination rates at lower regolith ECs. The highest percent germination was found at 1.0mS/cm.
Radiation Shielding Analysis of Martian Regolith Simulant MGS-1 and Polymers
By: Johnson et al.
The radiation shielding capabilities of polymers and Martian regolith simulant MGS-1 are analyzed by means of the dose reduction of the absorbed dose radiation quantity. MGS-1 is an analog for Martian surface material while polymers are generally an effective radiation shielding material because of its high hydrogen content. Scenarios of a radiation shield and simplified Martian habitat are defined and simulated in FLUKA. The source of the radiation is a selection of radiation particle types from Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) in the Martian environment during a solar minimum, when GCR contributions are largest. Secondary radiation neutrons are substantially the largest contributor to the total flux on Mars, followed by protons, helium and heavy ions.
Absorption Spectra of Martian Dust Simulants
By: Razafindrambinina et al.
Understanding the Martian climate requires a detailed characterization of the optical properties of Martian dust as it is a ubiquitous component of the atmosphere. The continued improvement of Martian atmosphere observations motivates measurements of terrestrial simulants under controlled conditions to support field studies and computational modeling. This investigation demonstrates an in situ method to entrain and directly measure the absorption spectrum of six Martian dust simulants using photoacoustic spectroscopy.
Laboratory experiment of ATP measurement using Mars soil simulant: as a method for extraterrestrial life detection
By: Razafindrambinina et al.
We present a laboratory experiment of ATP measurement using Mars soil simulant and Escherichia coli (E. coli) with a point of view for future application to searching extraterrestrial life. We used Mars Global Simulant MGS-1 as soil simulant, added E. coli suspension to it, then the soil simulant with E. coli was dried.
Asteroid Simulant Publications
Asteroid Simulant Publications
Simulated Asteroid and Planetary Materials
By: Landsman et al.
High-fidelity planetary and asteroid regolith simulants replicate key mineralogical, chemical, and physical properties of extraterrestrial soils, enabling studies in geotechnical behavior, hardware testing, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). By tailoring particle size distributions and sourcing appropriate minerals, the lab provides versatile analog materials that support both scientific investigations and the design of future space technologies.
Simulated asteroid materials based on carbonaceous chondrite mineralogies
By: Britt et al.
A set of high-fidelity simulated asteroid materials, or simulants, was developed based on the mineralogy of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. Three varieties of simulant were developed based on CI1 chondrites (typified by Orgueil), CM2 chondrites (typified by Murchison), and CR2/3 chondrites (multiple samples). The simulants were designed to replicate the mineralogy and physical properties of the corresponding meteorites and anticipated asteroid surface materials as closely as is reasonably possible for bulk amounts.
Phobos regolith simulants PGI-1 and PCA-1
By: Landsman et al.
The Martian moon Phobos is the target of the upcoming JAXA Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission. There are currently no known samples of Phobos, so spacecraft hardware testing and scientific studies require Phobos regolith simulants. Here, we present two new Phobos regolith simulants: Phobos Captured Asteroid-1 (PCA-1) and Phobos Giant Impact (PGI-1). These two simulants reflect the two hypotheses for Phobos’s formation, and thus the two broad possibilities for composition.
CI Asteroid Regolith as an In Situ Plant Growth Medium for Space Crop Production
By: Russell et al.
Human expansion into the solar system is currently at the forefront of space research. For our astronauts to survive, they will need to be fed a healthy and nutritious diet on a consistent basis. Right now, our current method of feeding astronauts consists of resupplied prepackaged food from Earth, which is unsustainable for long-term missions. Using planetary resources via in situ resource utilization to grow crops is the next step toward sustainability in space.