Proposal Number:          21-1- T7.04-1428

          

          

   

Subtopic Title:
      Surface Construction

          

          

   

Proposal Title:
      Induction Furnace-Nozzle for Forming and Placing Lunar Regolith Bricks for Landing Pad Construction

          

          

   

Firm:

          

Astroport Space Technologies, Inc.

          

   

Address:

          

110 E. Houston Street, 7th Floor, San Antonio, TX 78205 - 2990

          

   

Phone:

          

(210) 404-2981                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

The University of Texas at San Antonio

          

   

Address:

          

One UTSA Circle, TX 78249 - 1644

          

   

Phone:

          

(210) 458-6472                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

Sam Ximenes

          

   

E-mail:

          

info@explorationarchitecture.com

          

   

Address:

          

110 E. Houston Street, 7th Floor, TX 78205 - 2990

          

   

Phone:

          

(210) 404-2981                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

Sam Ximenes

          

   

E-mail:

          

info@explorationarchitecture.com

          

   

Address:

          

110 E. Houston Street, 7th Floor, TX 78205 - 2990

          

   

Phone:

          

(210) 404-2981                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) :                                                                                                                                                          
Begin: 3
End: 4

          

          

     

Technical Abstract (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words):

Proposed is an integrated induction furnace and nozzle for in-situ 3D printing and landing pad construction using lunar regolith. Through applied research, we combine two elements into one "innovation":

• The furnace element uses an induction heater for reducing regolith feedstock into a fluid melt, which can be applied to a variety of solidification applications.
  • Inductin heater advancements include automatic frequency tuning to the composition and properties of the feedstock.
• The nozzle element enables single-step lunar regolith melting, brick production and placement for landing pad creation or any flat hardened surface area such as roads or foundations.

Our proposed solution is based on the principles of additive construction processing in-situ materials (regolith) into construction bricks. At the system level, basic components include a 3D printer using an Induction Furnace-Nozzle mounted onto a mobility platform for single step brick production and placement. The applied research focus for this proposal is on integration of the induction furnace and nozzle (an Induction Furnace-Nozzle) for regolith brick production.

          

          

     

Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

• Lunar landing pad construction
• Lunar road and berm construction
• Lunar dust mitigation
• Planetary infrastucture foundational elements

          

          

     

Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

Technology has the potential to be utilized for low cost & rapid construction on earth (IP & operational know-how; material processing; assembly automation; remote operations). In-situ resource utilization of locally sourced material could have potential terrestrial applications, for low cost housing for low income indigenous housing and/or next-gen, ecological advanced construction applications.

          

          

     

Duration:     13