Site Preparation for a Lunar Launch and Landing Pad

Abstract

Landing on unprepared lunar surfaces can excavate tons of regolith, send high-velocity lunar regolith particles kilometers from the landing site, and inject particles into lunar orbit. Therefore, lunar launch and landing pads (LLPs) are needed to protect surface and orbital assets from debris damage and to provide solid, impervious surfaces for multiple landings near a permanent lunar facility. LLPs are crucial for spacecraft to be able to land safely and take off from the surface of the Moon. For building an LLP on the lunar surface, bulk regolith manipulation techniques are not well defined for civil engineering and construction processes. Astroport Space Technologies leads an industry and academia research team for advancing the state-of-art with investigations and development of geotechnical engineering and civil engineering processes for bulk regolith manipulation methods, using a “regolith works” toolset for the construction of an LLP. A concept of operations (ConOps) for Astroport’s approach to site preparation, excavation, and site leveling for constructing an LLP is described. The ConOps is based uniquely on Astroport’s “brickmaking and placement” technology using autonomous robotics for constructing the LLP pavement from molten regolith. The bricklayer technology enables single-step lunar regolith melting, brick forming, and placement without use of grouts or mortar for landing pad creation. The site preparation, excavation, and site leveling processes also produce the feedstock needed for producing bricks and for building the LLP blast protection berms.