A need exists for obtaining a safe and habitable lunar base that is free from the hazards of radiation, temperature gradient, and micrometeorites. A device for excavating lunar material and simultaneously generating living space in the subselenian environment was studied at the conceptual level. Preliminary examinations indicate that a device using a mechanical head to shear its way through the lunar material while creating a rigid ceramic-like lining meets design constraints using existing technology. The Lunar Tunneler is totally automated and guided by a laser communication system. There exists the potential for the excavated lunar material to be used in conjunction with a surface mining process for the purpose of the extraction of oxygen and other elements. Experiments into lunar material excavation and further research into the concept of a mechanical Lunar Tunneler are suggested.
Proposal for a Lunar Tunnel-Boring Machine
1988
67 pages
Report
No indication
English
Proposal for a Lunar Tunnel-Boring Machine
NTIS | 1988
|Proposal for a lunar tunnel-boring machine
NTRS | 1988
|ASCE | 2018
|SAE Technical Papers | 1978
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