Penetration and relaxation behavior of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant under cryogenic conditions

Abstract Lunar in situ resource utilization discussions have recently been focused on the presence and distribution of ice in the upper layers of surface regolith, in particular within the confines of the permanently shadowed regions. Extraction ideas - ranging from simple scooping to percussive drilling and thermal (optical) mining utilizing cold-trap volatile capture – require detailed knowledge of the mechanical properties of icy regolith as we are likely to encounter. Penetrometers provide a robust and straightforward measurement technique for determining soil properties, but previous research fails to reliably show measurement sensitivity to increasing ice content due to difficulties in experimentation at cryogenic conditions. To display the capability of a simple conical penetrometer to discern saturation levels of icy regolith simulant within an expected range, we conducted laboratory penetration and subsequent relaxation measurements of JSC-1A lunar simulant using a specially-designed cryogenic apparatus which minimizes sample temperature fluctuation as well as the thermal mismatch between the penetrating probe and tested sample. We measured penetration resistance and force relaxation behavior for JSC-1A lunar simulant under constant displacement rate penetration at ~300 mTorr pressure, ~110 K sample temperature, 170 K to 190 K probe temperature, and ice contents of 0% to 12% and 100%. Penetration resistance and relaxation behavior both showed sensitivity to ice content, with parameters of best-fit curve models offering simple empirical predictors of saturation. A critical ice content of 1% to 3%, wherein a significant increase in penetration resistance occurs, is identified as being fundamentally influenced by the filling of substantial pore space with grouting ice. A decrease in viscoelastic behavior of high ice content samples at cryogenic temperatures is noted, and inhibition of relaxation mechanisms due to activation-energy-based temperature effects is also demonstrated in dry, ice-free simulant. Additional research across the spectrum of ice saturations, temperatures, and pressure environments likely to be found in extraterrestrial environments is suggested to improve upon these results, in particular using cryogenic systems even more specialized to reduce thermal issues and increase load capacities and apparatus stiffness. Such additional information will serve to advance the potential use of these results and this technology in future exploratory missions.