ABSTRACT

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.