Search Results (243)

Diffraction-based velocity analysis is a key data interpretation technique in geophysical exploration, typically relying on the geometric characteristics, energy distribution, or propagation paths of diffraction waves. The hyperbola-based method is a classical strategy in this category, which extracts depth-dependent velocity (or dielectric properties) by correlating the hyperbolic shape of diffraction events with subsurface parameters for characterizing subsurface structures and material compositions. In this study, we propose a layer-stripping velocity analysis method applicable to ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and lunar-penetrating radar (LPR) data, with two main innovations: (1) replacing traditional local optimization algorithms with an intuitive parallelism check scheme, eliminating the need for complex nonlinear iterations; (2) performing depth-progressive velocity scanning of radargram diffraction signals, where shallow-layer velocity analysis constrains deeper-layer calculations. This strategy avoids misinterpretations of deep geological objects’ burial depth, morphology, and physical properties caused by a single average velocity or independent deep-layer velocity assumptions. The workflow of the proposed method is first demonstrated using a synthetic rock-fragment layered model, then applied to derive the near-surface dielectric constant distribution (down to 27 m) at the Chang’e-4 landing site. The estimated values range from 2.55 to 6, with the depth-dependent profile revealing lunar regolith stratification and interlayer material property variations. Consistent with previously reported results for the Chang’e-4 region, our findings confirm the method’s applicability to LPR data, providing a new technical framework for high-resolution subsurface structure reconstruction. Full article

As international lunar exploration shifts from mainly understanding the Moon to equally prioritizing its utilization, the requirement for highly similar lunar regolith simulants has grown. Current simulants, produced mainly by mechanical crushing and sieving, reproduce mechanical properties but lack space-weathered microstructures. However, this absence results in significant discrepancies in critical properties such as thermal conductivity and adsorption–desorption behavior, which undermine the reliability of ground-based resource utilization tests. To address this issue, this paper proposes a new preparation method for lunar regolith simulants, which simulates the micrometeorite impact process by utilizing the instantaneous high temperature, pressure, and high-velocity impact generated from the detonation of high-energy explosives in a sealed container. Preliminary experiments confirm that the method produces agglutinates, glass spherules, and porous structures resembling those in lunar regolith. The thermal conductivity of the modified simulant decreases significantly, approaching that of lunar regolith. Further refinement of the process, supported by quantitative 3D characterization, will enable the production of even more similar simulants, providing a reliable material foundation for lunar exploration, in situ resource utilization, and lunar construction activities. Full article

For future Mars colonization, crop production will be a challenge due to the chemical composition of the Martian Regolith, which contains perchlorates and heavy metals. This research was conducted to determine if the use of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria (PGPB), and fertilization have a positive effect on tomato growth in a Martian Regolith Analog. The analog contains 52.54% SiO₂, 1.81% TiO₂, 17.66% Al₂O₃, 9.46% Fe₂O₃, 0.145% MnO, 3.43% MgO, 7.09% CaO, 3.95% Na₂O, 1.96% K₂O, and 0.55% P₂O₅. Two hundred and forty tomato plants were grown for 45 days. One hundred and twenty tomato plants grown over perchlorate-polluted analog (1% m/m) died in less than 2 weeks, while 120 tomato plants grown in a non-polluted analog survived. Forty-eight plants supplemented with Long–Ashton solution increased their shoot length 100% more than the control plants and the plants inoculated with the commercial AMF formulation TM-73^MR and PBB; the latter showed 25% mycorrhizal colonization. There was no significant difference between the growth parameters of inoculated plants and non-inoculated plants. However, there was a significant difference compared to the plants supplemented with Long–Ashton solution. The perchlorate is toxic to tomato plants, and the metal content of the analog was not a limiting factor for tomato growth or AMF colonization. Full article

The establishment of a sustained human presence on the Moon is critically dependent on the ability to utilize local resources, primarily the production of oxygen for life support and propellant. The ROXY (Regolith to Oxygen and metals conversion) process is a molten salt electrolysis technology designed for this purpose. This paper presents an economic analysis of a ROXY pilot plant capable of producing over one ton of oxygen per year. We evaluate the economic viability by analyzing development, transportation, and operational costs against the potential revenue from selling oxygen and metals within a nascent lunar economy. A key aspect of this analysis is the perspective of an early customer in habitation life support systems preceding that of much higher propellant production demand. The analysis contextualizes this paradigm by recognizing that the primary economic driver for oxygen production is the larger future market for propellant; however, early life support demand may incentivize a paradigm-shift from Earth-based consumable resupply. Scenarios based on varying transportation costs and development timelines are evaluated to determine the internal rate of return (IRR) and time to break even (TTBE). The results indicate that the ROXY pilot plant is economically viable, particularly in near-term scenarios with higher transportation costs, achieving a positive IRR of up to 47.4% when both oxygen and metals are sold. The analysis identifies facility mass, driven by the robotics subsystem, as the primary factor for future cost-reduction efforts, concluding that ROXY is a technically and economically sound pathway toward sustainable lunar operations. Full article

The presented dataset contains spatial models of cones formed from lunar soil simulants. The cones were formed in a laboratory by allowing the soil to fall freely through a funnel. Then, the cones were measured using three methods: a high-precision handheld laser scanner (HLS), photogrammetry, and a low-cost LiDAR system integrated into an iPad Pro. The dataset consists of two groups. The first group contains raw measurement data, and the second group contains the geometry of the cones themselves, excluding their surroundings. This second group was prepared to support the calculation of the cones’ volume. All data are provided in standard 3D file format (.STL). The dataset enables direct comparison of resolution and geometric reconstruction performance across the three techniques and can be reused for benchmarking 3D processing workflows, segmentation algorithms, and shape reconstruction methods. It provides complete geometric information suitable for validating automated extraction procedures for parameters such as cone height, base diameter, and angle of repose, as well as for further research into planetary soil and granular material morphology. Full article

Space exploration is a major global focus, advancing knowledge and exploiting new resources beyond Earth. Bioinspired design—drawing principles from nature—offers systematic pathways to increase the capability and intelligence of space robots. Prior reviews have emphasized on-orbit manipulators or lunar rovers, while a comprehensive treatment across application domains has been limited. This review synthesizes bioinspired capability and intelligence for space exploration under varied environmental constraints. We highlight four domains: adhesion and grasping for on-orbit servicing; terrain-adaptive mobility on granular and rocky surfaces; exploration intelligence that couples animal-like sensing with decision strategies; and design methodologies for translating biological functions into robotic implementations. Representative applications include gecko-like dry adhesives for debris capture, beetle-inspired climbers for truss operations, sand-moving quadrupeds and mole-inspired burrowers for granular regolith access, and insect flapping-wing robots for flight under Martian conditions. By linking biological analogues to quantitative performance metrics, this review highlights how bioinspired strategies can significantly improve on-orbit inspection, planetary mobility, subsurface access, and autonomous decision-making. Framed by capability and intelligence, bioinspired approaches reveal how biological analogues translate into tangible performance gains for on-orbit inspection, servicing, and long-range planetary exploration. Full article

Basic magnesium sulfate cement (BMSC) exhibits rapid setting, early strength development, high ultimate strength, and good durability, making it a promising construction material for the extreme environments of Mars. Following the principle of in situ resource utilization (ISRU), this study employs the Martian regolith simulant NUAA-1M, developed by Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, as both a mineral admixture and aggregate to prepare Martian basic magnesium sulfate cement (M-BMSC) and Martian basic magnesium sulfate cement concrete (M-BMSCC). The effects of NUAA-1M fines on the setting time, compressive strength, hydration heat evolution, hydration products, microstructure, and pore structure of M-BMSC were systematically investigated. Moreover, the fundamental physical and mechanical properties of M-BMSCC incorporating NUAA-1M as an aggregate were evaluated, and an empirical correlation model was established between its compressive strength (f_cu), flexural strength (f_t), and splitting tensile strength (f_sp). Results indicate that with increasing NUAA-1M fines content, the setting time of M-BMSC was prolonged, while its compressive strength initially increased and then decreased. The incorporation of NUAA-1M fines modified the hydration process and phase assemblage of M-BMSC, promoting the formation of magnesium (alumino)silicate hydrate (M-(A)-S-H) gels and refining the pore structure. Hydration monitoring within 24 h confirmed the rapid hydration characteristics of M-BMSC, demonstrating its suitability for Martian conditions. M-BMSCC exhibited excellent early- and high-strength performance, achieving a 28-day compressive strength of 59.2 MPa at a binder-to-aggregate ratio of 2:1, corresponding to a total NUAA-1M content of 84.75% in the mixture. This work provides a novel ISRU-based material strategy for the construction of Martian bases and infrastructure. Full article

Developing autonomous technologies will enable humanity to considerably expand our lunar and space exploration capabilities. Along with the technical challenges of developing autonomous technologies, there is also the issue of trust—stakeholders are often resistant to their use for a variety of psychological reasons. Nevertheless, several successful methods for gradually building trust have been developed for both terrestrial and space applications. Relevant case studies provide insights on how trust is built for stakeholders when it comes to self-driving vehicles, Artificial Intelligence in aviation, space station operations, satellite rendezvous missions, and Mars rover surface operations. Based on these case studies, we propose a generalized method for building trust with stakeholders and have applied it to a lunar construction pathfinder mission currently in development. Metrics for assessing success criteria for autonomous systems are provided as a means to progress through the proposed phases of autonomy deployment. Full article

As humanity prepares for prolonged space missions and future extraterrestrial settlements, developing reliable and resilient food-production systems is becoming a critical priority. Space agriculture, the cultivation of plants beyond Earth (particularly on the Moon and Mars), faces a constellation of interdependent environmental, biological, and engineering challenges. These include limited solar radiation, elevated ionizing radiation, large thermal variability, non-Earth atmospheric pressures, reduced gravity, regolith substrates with low nutrient-holding capacity, high-CO₂/low-O₂ atmospheres, pervasive dust, constrained water and nutrient availability, altered plant physiology, and the overarching need for closed-loop, resource-efficient systems. These stressors create an exceptionally challenging environment for plant growth and require tightly engineered agricultural systems. This review examines these constraints by organizing them across environmental differences, resource limitations, biological adaptation, and operational demands, emphasizing their systemic interdependence and the cascading effects that arise when one subsystem changes. By integrating findings from planetary science, plant biology, space systems engineering, biotechnology, robotics, and controlled-environment agriculture (CEA), the review outlines current limitations and highlights emerging strategies such as regolith utilization, advanced hydroponics, crop selection and genetic engineering, and the use of robotics, sensors, and artificial intelligence (AI) for monitoring and automation. Finally, the article underscores the broader relevance of space–agriculture research for terrestrial food security in extreme or resource-limited environments, providing a structured foundation for designing resilient and sustainable agricultural systems for space exploration and beyond. Full article

Folded, arcuate terrains on the surface of Mars provide insight into the volcanic properties of surface materials and emplacement dynamics. This research focused on the analysis of folded terrains in the chaotic-terrain Avernus Colles region, located near Elysium Planitia, using images from the Mars Odyssey Orbiter and altimetry data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA). The combined data revealed areas of deformation, which is inferred to be the result of compressions and possibly collapse from the late Amazonian period. We identified and measured 19 distinct folds, with morphometric wavelengths ranging from 0.7 to 1.75 km. These measurements were applied to a simple two-layer regolith model to better understand the folding patterns observed. The model suggests that these folds could have formed with an upper viscous boundary layer less than 0.55 km thick and strain rates approximately 10⁻⁷ s⁻¹. These strain rates indicate that the deformation of the terrains likely occurred over a relatively short period of time, ranging from 16 to 38 days. By studying these deformation patterns, we can enhance our understanding of the volcanic history and surface processes on Mars, offering insight into the planet’s geologic evolution and material properties. Full article

The Lunar Soil Volatile Measuring Instrument, a key payload of the Chang’e-7 mission, employs a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) to directly analyze gases released from lunar regolith at different temperatures, aiming to determine the types and abundances of volatiles. However, the evolved gases are often complex mixtures, and their direct introduction into the mass spectrometer may compromise the measurement accuracy due to interactions among different species. To investigate the interference from gases on volatile quantification, systematic experiments were performed with one or two gases out of H₂, He, N₂, Ar, CO₂, and CO on a flight-like laboratory unit of the payload. Results show that the QMS exhibited excellent reproducibility and linear response (R² > 0.99) for all pure gases tested. Furthermore, the sensitivity of gases varied in mixtures and was jointly influenced by gas composition and volume fraction. For instance, compared with the sensitivity values obtained in pure gas measurements, the sensitivity of CO was slightly enhanced when mixed with Ar but was reduced when mixed with H₂ or He. A significant sensitivity enhancement of up to 4.6 folds was observed for H₂ when mixed with He. However, as its fraction increased, the sensitivity of a component in a binary mixture exhibited a decreasing deviation and was almost constant when its fraction was above 60%. Based on these findings, we developed a sensitivity correction method which employs an iterative algorithm to obtain more accurate partial pressures calculated from the gas measurement signals. Applications of the method on H₂–He mixtures and a pre-mixed CO–N₂ standard gas demonstrated that the relative errors of calculated pressures can be reduced to within ±10%. This method would significantly improve the accuracy of gas pressure calculated from in situ volatile measurement data and also provides a valuable reference for similar QMSs. Full article

This study establishes a dynamic evolution model of the physical and mechanical properties of lunar simulant as a function of sampling-induced disturbance on the lunar surface, aiming to eliminate design errors in sampling missions caused by neglecting the disturbance of lunar soil. A standard probe was inserted into the lunar soil simulant both before and after disturbance, and the variation in penetration resistance at the exact location was proposed as an indicator of the regolith’s disturbance state. Compression tests and disturbance tests were conducted on CUG-1A lunar soil simulant, with the experimental results subjected to regression analysis and neural network prediction. Based on the compression tests, a regression equation was derived relating the slope of the probe penetration resistance to the internal friction angle and density of the lunar soil simulant, showing a strong correlation between predicted and actual values. The disturbance tests provided penetration resistance curves under various disturbance conditions. By integrating these two components, a correspondence was established between the disturbance conditions and the internal friction angle and density of the lunar soil simulant. The predictive performance of three typical neural network algorithms—LM, BR, and SCG—with varying numbers of neurons was compared. The LM algorithm with 10 neurons was selected for its superior performance. Ultimately, a sampling disturbance model was developed to predict the internal friction angle and density of the lunar soil simulant based on disturbance conditions, demonstrating an extremely high correlation between predicted and actual values. Full article

This paper outlines the inception, conceptualization and primary morphological selection of a robotic system that employs raw lunar regolith for constructing protective berms and shelters on the Moon’s surface. The lunar regolith is considered the most readily available material for in situ resource utilization on the Moon. The lunar environment is characterized, and the operational task is defined, informing the development of high-level system requirements and a functional analysis through the glass-box method. The key morphological areas are identified, and candidate concepts are evaluated using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The evaluation process employs a new approach to aggregating expert data through the ZM_II method to establish priorities of the design criteria, which eliminates the need for pairwise comparisons in data collection. Each criterion is associated with a specific and quantifiable metric, which is then used to evaluate the morphologies during the AHP. The selected morphologies are determined as: a vibrating hopper for intake (normalized decision value of 27.5% out of 5 candidate solutions), a roller system for container deployment and filling (26.2% out of 7), a magnetic RCU interface (22.6% out of 7), and a 4-DoF manipulator to place the RCUs in the environment (23.6% out of 5). The final morphology is selected by combining the decision values across the primary morphological areas into a unified decision metric. This is followed by the preliminary selection of the system’s surrounding architecture. The design conceptualization is performed within a real-life operational scenario, namely, to create a blast berm for the landing pad using the lunar regolith provided by an existing excavator. The next phase of the work will include the system’s detailed design, as well as investigations on the requirements for a variety of construction tasks on the lunar surface. Full article

Asteroids are remnants of primordial material from the early stages of solar system formation, approximately 4.6 billion years ago, and they preserve invaluable records of the processes underlying planetary evolution. Investigating asteroids provides critical insights into the mechanisms of planetary development and the potential origins of life. To enable efficient sample acquisition under vacuum and microgravity conditions, this study introduces a two-stage gas-driven asteroid sampling strategy. This approach mitigates the challenges posed by low-gravity environments and irregular asteroid topography. A coupled computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method (CFD–DEM) framework was employed to simulate the gas–solid two-phase flow during the sampling process. First, a model of the first-stage gas-driven sampling device was developed to establish the relationship between the inlet angle of the gas nozzle and the sampling efficiency, leading to the optimization of the nozzle’s structural parameters. Subsequently, a model of the integrated two-stage gas-driven sampling and sample-delivery system was constructed, through which the influence of the second-stage nozzle inlet angle on the total collected sample mass was investigated, and its design parameters were further refined. Simulation outcomes were validated against experimental data, confirming the reliability of the CFD–DEM coupling approach for predicting gas–solid two-phase interactions. The results demonstrate the feasibility of collecting asteroid regolith with the proposed two-stage gas-driven sampling and delivery system, thereby providing a practical pathway for extraterrestrial material acquisition. Full article

This study examines the landing performance of a four-legged lunar lander equipped with magnetorheological dampers when landing on discrete lunar soil. To capture the complex interaction between the lander and the soil, a coupled dynamic model is developed that integrates flexible multibody dynamics (FMBD), granular material modeling, and a semi-active fuzzy control strategy. The flexible structures of the lander are described using the floating frame of reference, while the lunar soil behavior is simulated using the discrete element method (DEM). A fuzzy controller is designed to achieve the adaptive MR damping force under varying landing conditions. The FMBD and DEM modules are coupled through a serial staggered approach to ensure stable and accurate data exchange between the two systems. The proposed model is validated through a lander impact experiment, demonstrating good agreement with experimental results. Based on the validated model, the influence of discrete lunar regolith properties on MR damping performance is analyzed. The results show that the MR-based landing leg system can effectively absorb impact energy and adapt well to the uneven, granular lunar surface. Full article