Optimization of Lunar Materials for Launch and Landing Pads

Blueshift, LLC doing business as Outward Technologies in partnership with the Colorado School of Mines propose to develop a launch and landing pad design tool for identifying optimal geometries, materials, and configurations of landing pads, landing pad aprons, and berms constructed from bulk regolith while minimizing the amount of robotic hardware and materials that are required to be launched from Earth. Preliminary design criteria have been established which capture traditional civil engineering design concepts applied to the lunar environment. This approach has yielded a promising berm design which may be used to mitigate high-speed ejecta while eliminating complex collisions and deflected ejecta particles. While these concepts have been developed from a strong theoretical basis, additional numerical and experimental results are required to further validate the use of these bulk regolith structures in minimizing the risk posed to critical infrastructure and equipment by high-speed ejecta during lunar launches and landings. In support of these goals, high-fidelity plume surface interaction models previously developed by Outward Technologies through a NASA SBIR Phase I and pending Phase II project will be integrated into a streamlined Launch and Landing Pad Design Tool (LLPDT) capable of simulating various pad, pad apron, and berm geometries, materials, and configurations. These proposed Phase I efforts will lead to a comprehensive design and evaluation tool for assessing various configurations of bulk regolith structures composing launch/landing pads, pad aprons, and berms. Colorado School of Mines will be relied upon in these efforts to help guide the assessment of various berm geometries and construction methods to identify candidate LLP and berm configurations which score favorably using the LLPDT in Phase I.