REDUCTION OF OXYGEN AND OTHER PRODUCTS BY PYROLYSIS OF LUNARMATERIALS (PE-141)

WE PROPOSE TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF PYROLYSIS OF COMMON LUNAR MINERALS USING CONCENTRATED SOLAR RADIATION TO PRODUCE OXYGEN. OXYGEN PRODUCTION IS POSSIBLE VIA PYROLYSIS OF METAL OXIDES BECAUSE OF THE FORMATION OF GASEOUS SUBOXIDES (OR METAL VAPOR) THAT CAN BE CONDENSED WITHOUT REOXIDIZING, LIBERATING OXYGEN. THIS PROPOSAL REPRESENTS THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO TEST THE PYROLYSIS CONCEPT ON SIMULATED LUNAR MATERIAL AND THE FIRST EXPERIMENT TO USE CONCENTRATED SOLAR RADIATION AS AN ENERGY SOURCE FOR VAPORIZATION OF MINERALS. IN PHASE I, WE WILL STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF VAPORIZING TWO FEEDSTOCKS AVAILABLEON THE MOON (ILMENITE AND ANORTHITE) WITH THE INTENT OF MAXIMIZING THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN PRODUCED FROM THE PYROLYSIS REACTIONS. THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM WILL BE COMPLEMENTED BY A THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF THE VAPORIZATION AND CONDENSATION PHENOMENA. IF SUCCESSFUL, AT THE CONCLUSION OF PHASE I WE WILL HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE FEASIBILITY OF PYROLYZING MINERALS COMMON TO THE LUNAR REGOLITH. WE WILL BE ABLE TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYING MATERIALS THATARE MOST ATTRACTIVE FOR PYROLYSIS. WE EXPECT THIS WORK TO LEAD TO TECHNIQUES FOR SEPARATING OXYGEN FROM CONDENSED MATERIALS IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAXIMIZE OXYGEN PRODUCTION.