Authors: Brandon Phillips, Brianna Cherry, Tejasvi Joshi, Elias McCall, Zakia Tasmin, and Dr. Qiushi Chen
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Qiushi Chen
College: College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences
In 2017, NASA launched the Artemis Program to establish a more sustainable, permanent human and robotic presence on the Moon. Someday, this might involve construction on the Moon’s surface or the utilization of the Lunar soil as a resource. Understanding lunar regolith, the soil on the Moon’s surface, is essential for the success of these missions. Therefore, the development of efficient tools for automated drilling, sampling, and in-situ resource utilization and characterization is a key component of NASA’s Artemis Program. In this study, data on lunar regolith simulants, shear strength parameters, and existing drilling tools was compiled and processed. A database of Lunar Simulants was verified and updated. This research will contribute to NASA’s ongoing effort to develop efficient, automated drilling and characterization systems on the Moon.
Brandon Phillips 2021 Undergraduate Research Symposium
EUREKA! Lunar Regolith 2021.pdf