Abstract This study presents a numerical investigation of rocket plumes carrying regolith particles in the context of the lunar environment (gravity and vacuum conditions). We investigated two lander masses with a single rocket hovering at 5 different low altitudes perpendicular to a flat surface. For the regolith, we considered 9 particle sizes, with diameters from to cm. The initial condition of all particles was a null velocity at above the ground. The particles started at 19 different radial positions from the centerline of the rocket jet, to m. We used a DSMC method to solve the rocket plume cases, considering the combustion product molecules from the propellant N2O4+Aerozine 50. Steady-state plume flow solutions are one-way coupled with discrete particles, considering drag and weight forces. The results showed that particle angle is nearly constant for small () particles varying with initial radial position and lander altitude. Particle velocity is related to particle diameter as a power-law function and a Gaussian function of the initial particle position. Lander altitude and mass modulate the magnitude of particle velocity. Using the numerical solution data, we derived a numerical correlation for particle velocity that provides insight to avoid regolith abrasive blasting into the lunar lander, surrounding structures, and orbital satellites.
Highlights Lunar rocket plumes are highly influenced by the altitude and mass of the lander. Particles accelerated by rocket plumes may damage surrounding structures. Trajectory angle of small particles are less sensitive to their size. Particle damage potential can be estimated through numerical correlation.
Numerical estimations of lunar regolith trajectories and damage potential due to rocket plumes
Acta Astronautica ; 195 ; 169-182
2022-02-19
14 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
The regolith rocket—A hybrid rocket using lunar resources
Elsevier | 2020
|British Library Conference Proceedings | 1996
|NTIS | 2021
|NTRS
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