Building future bases on the Moon and Mars will require materials, and reduce the resources we need to transport from Earth to build them. That is why it is necessary to develop application techniques on the site Resources (ISRU). But to know how and why we can use these resources, we need to know their characteristics.
Building future bases on the Moon and Mars will require materials, and reduce the resources we need to transport from Earth to build them. That is why it is necessary to develop application techniques on the site Resources (ISRU). But to know how and why we can use these resources, we need to know their characteristics. Now, thanks to a new study, we know a little more about rocks from the moon.
We can precisely determine the chemical and mineral composition of rocks on the Moon and Mars Studying fragments that reach Earth as meteorites Analyzing lunar rocks brought back by astronauts from the Apollo missions.
In the laboratory we can study its mechanical properties: elasticity, plasticity, flexibility, ductility, hardness and brittleness.
Our new study of meteorites has revealed the uniqueness of the most common minerals on and off the Moon. Asteroid Vesta: Olivines, Pyroxenes, Feldspars and Spinels.
Subject to the extreme conditions of space
The rocks of the Moon and Vesta are different Mechanical properties For those on earth.
Over the ages they are constantly bombarded by one meter long rocks called meteorites. Asteroids that exceed that diameter have dug craters on the Moon's surface and even sent some lunar rocks into solar orbit. Also, these dynamic processes have been developed Impact intervals In many surface rocks, elements mixed with projectiles and were thermally altered during the impact process.
Bodies without an atmosphere, such as the Moon and Vesta, are subject to the solar wind and cosmic radiation that affect nanoscale rocks.
All these processes are called “spatial processing” (in English: Space weather) and have profound implications for the properties of rocks that we hope to one day exploit as resources on the Moon.
Mechanical properties of lunar rocks
A new study suggests that may be the case Meteorites & Planetary Science, Now prepublished on ArXivWe have analyzed the composition and mechanical properties of several lunar rocks that arrived on Earth as meteorites. Institute of Space Science (CSIC).
We need to know its properties at the nanometer scale. So we've turned to a technique that allows this, nanoindentation, which We used it a few years ago in a pioneering way to study the mechanical properties of meteorites.
Study a rock at the nanoscale
Nanoindentation is a technique that uses a pyramid-shaped diamond tip to allow very precise application of a force to a surface of nanometers. Controlled power is applied to specific, localized areas whose composition we know.
The diamond tip exerts pressure on the surface as the force is gradually increased up to a predetermined maximum value. Then, after the charging phase, it is systematically reduced to zero. and shrinks to a certain extent according to the surface elasticity.
In this way, by studying this loading-unloading cycle, the instrument measures the depth of penetration and reduces the plasticity of the rock. From the study, the deformation mechanisms (both elastic and plastic) and elastic recovery can be inferred.
Discovery in lunar rocks
Thus, our work with lunar meteorites has revealed inherent diversity in the main mechanical properties of the most common minerals on the Moon and Vesta: olivines, pyroxenes, feldspars, and spinel, even though they show similar mechanical properties.
Among the differences found, the olivines Olivines of subterranean origin are much harder than olivines of terrestrial origin.
Our studies also indicate that the Moon and Vesta lack atmospheres and that sudden and highly energetic meteorite impacts create fragments, gaps, and increase the natural porosity of rock-forming minerals. This parameter is important for explaining the mechanical properties of rocks.
Our findings have direct implications for the development of new application techniques. on the site Resources (ISRU). In turn, they are relevant to better understanding the way craters are excavated, and some of these rocks are propelled at high speeds, overcoming the gravity of their bodies.
The mechanical properties of the rocks that make up these planetary bodies are useful for conducting research on the Moon or for tackling the challenges and opportunities posed by space mining.
Differences with Earth
Mechanical properties are important for compression processes Sintering (manufacturing materials using heat) would allow, for example, the creation of more robust and durable construction materials in these extreme environments. That is why it is important to carry out further studies looking at how the porosity and crystal structure of rocks affect their mechanical properties.
The materials will be needed for the future creation of sustainable infrastructure, roads and other vital structures necessary for a long-term human presence on the Moon or Mars, and the best ones will need to be identified before the journey begins.
New challenges for humanity will gradually become multi-planetary.
Joseph M. Tirico RodriguezPrincipal Investigator of the Meteorite, Asteroid and Planetary Science Group, Institute of Space Science (ICE – CSIC)
This article was originally published Conversation. to read Original.
