NASA challenges Lunar-like Diggers in California

William Atkins
Saturday, 12 May 2007 02:59

Science - Space

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Being held at the Santa Maria Fairpark in Santa Maria, California and organized by the California Space Education and Workforce Institute, the 30-minute competition involves moving the most mock lunar dirt as possible. First, second, and third prize winners take home $150,000, $75,000, and $50,000, respectively.

The lunar-like robots must show the capability to collect at least 330 pounds (150 kilograms) of mock Moon dirt (what is called JSC-1a); weigh no more than 88 pounds (40 kilogrms); operate on less than 30 kilowatts of power; and be fully autonomous (run for one-half hour without any interference from humans).

When Apollo astronauts brought back real lunar soil from the Moon in the late 1960s and early 1970s it was extremely valuable for scientific studies. Minute amounts were distributed to scientists with a critical research need for only true lunar soil. It also helped Apollo 15, 16, and 17 astronauts to test lunar rovers before using them on the Moon.

Since real lunar soil was too valuable to use, simulated lunar soil was developed when interest in lunar exploration increased. Thus, a simulated lunar soil designated JSC-1 (called such because it was developed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas) was produced beginning in 1993 from the San Francisco volcano field near Flagstaff, Arizona.

Unfortunately, the supply of JSC-1 ran out.

To replenish the supply of simulated moon soil, scientists at JSC and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, created a replica of JSC-1. Called JSC-1A, it is manufactured by Orbitec Technologies Corporation (headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin) and made available in fine, medium, and coarse grain sizes. MSFC scientists are also using other JSC-1A types that will simulate different Moon locations, such as the mare regions and the polar highland regions, along with loose, glassy, and sharp edged material that covers solid rock—what is called regolith—which coats most of the Moon’s surface.

As NASA perfects the manufacture of JSC-1A in its various forms, it will be produced in greater quantities. And, as NASA develops and carries out its plans for returning astronauts to the Moon—robotic missions are planned between 2007 and 2008; and human missions between 2015 and 2020—enough stimulated lunar soil will be available here on the Earth to practice for missions to our closest neighbor in space.

The competition—NASA 2007 Regolith Excavation Challenge—is part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges program. NASA hopes to involve U.S. private enterprise for its manned space program back to the Moon and find the best ways to explore and live on the Moon and other distant bodies.