Post on 13-May-2022
“Survey of Dust Issues for Lunar Seals and the RESOLVE Project” By Margaret P. Proctor and Paula Dempsey Abstract Lunar dust poses a technical challenge for sealing applications on the moon. A survey of seals used in Apollo lunar missions is presented as well as lunar soil characteristics and a description of the lunar environment. Seal requirements and technical challenges for the volatiles characterization oven and hydrogen reduction reaction chamber of the RESOLVE project are discussed. The purpose of the RESOLVE project is to find water or ice in lunar soil and demonstrate the ability to produce water, and hence oxygen and hydrogen, from lunar regolith for life support and propellants.
1
Nat
iona
l Aer
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e Ad
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Surv
ey o
f Dus
t Iss
ues
for L
unar
Sea
lsan
d th
e R
ESO
LVE
Proj
ect
By
Mar
gare
t P. P
roct
or a
nd P
aula
Dem
psey
Sea
ls T
eam
of t
he M
echa
nica
l Com
pone
nts
Bra
nch
Mat
eria
ls a
nd S
truct
ures
Div
isio
nN
AS
A G
lenn
Res
earc
h C
ente
r
Pre
sent
ed a
t the
20
06 N
AS
A S
eal/S
econ
dary
Air
Sys
tem
Wor
ksho
pN
ovem
ber 1
4-15
, 200
6C
leve
land
, OH
2
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
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e Ad
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istra
tion
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Cha
lleng
es o
f Fut
ure
Luna
r Exp
lora
tion
“Dus
t rep
rese
nts
the
sing
le la
rges
t tec
hnic
al c
halle
nge
to p
rolo
nged
hu
man
pre
senc
e on
the
Moo
n.”
Har
rison
Sch
mid
tt, A
pollo
17
Ast
rona
ut M
arch
200
5•
The
exte
nt a
nd d
urat
ion
of p
lann
ed lu
nar s
urfa
ce a
ctiv
ities
is m
uch
high
er th
an p
rior A
pollo
exp
erie
nces
. •
Sys
tem
s an
d co
mpo
nent
s w
ill be
exp
osed
to e
nviro
nmen
tal f
acto
rs
for p
erio
ds o
f tim
e or
ders
of m
agni
tude
long
er th
an th
ose
prev
ious
ly a
ddre
ssed
.
Dus
t miti
gatio
n st
rate
gies
:1.
Des
ign
syst
ems
tole
rant
of d
ust p
rope
rties
2.D
evel
op te
chni
ques
to c
lean
or r
emov
e du
st fr
om s
urfa
ces
3.A
ctiv
e ab
atem
ent m
etho
ds to
min
imiz
e or
elim
inat
e de
posi
tion
and/
or a
dhes
ion
of d
ust
3
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iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
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e Ad
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istra
tion
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Apo
llo L
unar
Sam
ple
Ret
urn
Con
tain
ers
a.k.
a. “R
ock
Box
es”
•U
sed
to re
turn
luna
r re
golit
h sa
mpl
es to
ear
th
•Tr
iple
sea
ls d
esig
ned
to
prov
ide
a va
cuum
sea
l of
10-6
torr
•A
lum
inum
box
(707
5 A
A)
with
Kni
fe e
dge
seal
in s
oft
indi
um a
lloy
(90%
indi
um,
10%
silv
er),
150
cm lo
ng
Of t
he 1
2 R
ock
Boxe
s, 4
had
sub
stan
tial l
eaks
due
to b
ag
mat
eria
l or d
ust o
n se
alin
g su
rface
1
•Tef
lon
spac
er p
reve
nts
cont
act p
rior t
o us
e.•S
ingl
e us
e an
d pr
essu
re re
quire
dto
mai
ntai
n se
alin
g.•D
oubl
e O
-rin
gs (L
608-
6 flu
oros
ilico
ne) f
or a
dd’l
seal
ing.
4
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
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asa.
gov
Apo
llo
Spe
cial
Env
ironm
enta
l Sam
ple
Con
tain
ers
•34
0L S
.S. w
ith k
nife
edg
e se
al in
to in
dium
allo
y•
18 c
m lo
ng•
At e
nd o
f Apo
llo m
issi
ons,
no
repo
rts o
f lea
kage
5
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
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asa.
gov
Apo
llo S
pace
Sui
ts
Spac
e Su
its•
Des
igne
d to
ope
ratin
g pr
essu
re:
3.75
psig
(2
5.8
KP
a),
tem
pera
ture
: +
250
o F(+
394
o K),
max
imum
leak
rate
: 0.
0315
lb/h
r (1
80 s
cc/m
in)
•Le
akag
e in
crea
sed
with
use
.
Apo
llo H
elm
et A
ttach
ing
Nec
k R
ing
•M
anuf
actu
red
by A
ir-lo
ck In
c.
•Al
umin
um a
lloy
7070
-T6
treat
ed w
ith a
n an
odiz
ed c
oatin
g.
•H
elm
et d
isco
nnec
ts h
ave
inte
rior s
tain
less
ste
el b
earin
gs•
Sea
ls in
the
Ext
rave
hicu
lar M
obili
ty S
uits
(EM
S) w
ere
used
to
atta
ch th
e sp
ace
helm
ets
to th
e sp
aces
uit b
y a
pres
sure
-sea
ling
neck
ring
.•
Bet
wee
n E
xtra
-Veh
icul
ar A
ctiv
ities
(EV
As)
the
hel
met
di
scon
nect
sea
ls w
ere
clea
ned
and
re-lu
bric
ated
with
Kry
tox
oil
and
grea
se to
redu
ce le
akag
e.
6
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
Apo
llo H
elm
et A
ttach
ing
Nec
k R
ing
•A
ttach
ed to
sui
t by
a se
lf-la
tchi
ng s
elf-s
ealin
g qu
ick
disc
onne
ct c
oupl
ing
It ha
s….
•Nec
k rin
g ho
usin
g
•8 la
tch
asse
mbl
ies
•A ro
tatin
g lo
ck
ring
•Pus
h bu
tton
lock
as
sem
bly
on th
e lo
ckin
g rin
g.
Latc
h
Com
man
d M
odul
e Pi
lot (
CM
P) H
elm
et
7
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
Apo
llo S
pace
Sui
ts
Glo
ve D
isco
nnec
t Ass
embl
y•
Man
ufac
ture
d by
Air-
lock
Inc.
•
Alum
inum
allo
y 20
24-T
4.
•H
ave
inte
rior s
tain
less
ste
el b
earin
gs.
•P
ress
ure-
seal
ing
disc
onne
cts
atta
ched
glo
ves
to s
pace
suit
•ar
ms
•W
rist b
earin
gs a
nd ro
tatio
nal h
ardw
are
conn
ecto
rs h
ad fa
bric
co
verin
gs to
kee
p ou
t the
dus
t.•
Bet
wee
n E
VA
sgl
ove
disc
onne
ct s
eals
wer
e cl
eane
d an
d re
-lu
bric
ated
with
Kry
tox
oil a
nd g
reas
e to
redu
ce le
akag
e.•
Air-
lock
has
a p
aten
t (45
9605
4)on
the
synt
hetic
resi
n lip
sea
l us
ed in
the
bear
ing
asse
mbl
y of
the
spac
e su
it at
the
rota
ry
mot
ion
loca
tions
, suc
h as
at t
he g
love
con
nect
ion.
•
The
suit
side
has
a m
anua
lly a
ctua
ted
lock
/unl
ock
mec
hani
sm.
•Th
e gl
ove
has
a se
aled
bea
ring
that
per
mits
360
ogl
ove
rota
tion.
8
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
Apo
llo S
pace
Sui
ts-G
love
Dis
conn
ect A
ssem
bly
Ref
eren
ce: A
pollo
Ope
ratio
ns H
andb
ook
(197
1) E
xtra
vehi
cula
r Mob
ility
Uni
t. V
olum
e I.
CSD
-A-7
89-(1
)
9
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
Luna
r Soi
l Cha
ract
eris
tics
0.3
(com
pres
sion
inde
x)C
ompr
essi
bilit
y (lo
ose)
1.72
-2.9
5 x
10-4
W/c
m o K
(Apo
llo 1
7)Th
erm
al C
ondu
ctiv
ity<2
0 μm
hig
h fe
rrom
agne
tic su
scep
tibili
tyM
agne
ticH
ighl
y ch
arge
dEl
ectro
stat
icN
ot a
ctiv
e in
vac
uum
Cor
rosi
vene
ssPr
imar
ily n
on-to
xic
Toxi
city
0.52
KPa
(.005
3 kg
/cm
2; .0
754
psi)
Coh
esio
n (0
-15
cm)
52%
+2%
Poro
sity
(0-
15 c
m)
5-7
( M
ohss
cale
)H
ardn
ess
1.58
+g/
cm3
Bul
k D
ensi
ty (
0-30
cm
)A
ngul
ar/s
uban
gula
rsha
rpSh
ape
90%
< 1
000 μm
, 70%
< 1
00 μ
mSi
zeD
escr
iptio
nC
hara
cter
istic
Ref
eren
ce: F
uhs,
S., H
arris
, J.(1
992)
Dus
t Pro
tect
ion
for E
nviro
nmen
tal C
ontro
land
Life
Sup
port
Syst
ems i
n th
e Lu
nar E
nviro
nmen
t. Pr
ocee
ding
s of t
he L
unar
Mat
eria
ls T
echn
olog
y Sy
mpo
sium
.
10
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
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w.n
asa.
gov
Luna
r Soi
l Com
posi
tion
Oxy
gen
Mag
nesi
um
Cal
cium
Alu
min
um Iron
Silic
onTita
nium
Oth
er
Sodi
um
0.2
%M
anga
nese
0.
2 %
Pota
ssiu
m
0.1
%C
hrom
ium
0
.1 %
Nic
kel
300
ppm
Hyd
roge
n 1
00 p
pmC
arbo
n
10
0 pp
mN
itrog
en
8
0 pp
m
Cop
per
5
ppm
Thor
ium
1
ppm
Oxy
gen
Mag
nesi
um
Cal
cium
Alu
min
um Iron
Silic
onTita
nium
Oth
er
Sodi
um
0.2
%M
anga
nese
0.
2 %
Pota
ssiu
m
0.1
%C
hrom
ium
0
.1 %
Nic
kel
300
ppm
Hyd
roge
n 1
00 p
pmC
arbo
n
10
0 pp
mN
itrog
en
8
0 pp
m
Cop
per
5
ppm
Thor
ium
1
ppm
Ref
eren
ce: M
cKay
, D.S
. and
Tay
lor,
L. (2
005)
Nat
ure
and
Evol
utio
n O
f Lun
ar S
oil.
42%
21%
13%
7%
8%
6%
2%+
Oth
er
11
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
Luna
r Env
ironm
ent
Hel
ium
(25
);Neo
n (2
5);H
ydro
gen(
23);A
rgon
(20)
; Tr
ace:
Met
hane
; Am
mon
ia; C
arbo
n D
ioxi
de
Atm
osph
ere
(%)
Gal
actic
cos
mic
rays
(GC
R)
Sola
r par
ticle
eve
nts (
SPE)
win
d, c
osm
ic ra
ys
Luna
r Rad
iatio
n So
urce
s
Min
-181
C (9
2 K
) Max
111
C (3
84 K
)M
easu
red
Surf
ace
Tem
ps.
(Apo
llo)
3 x
10-1
3 K
Pa(2
x 1
0-12
torr
) A
tmos
pher
ic P
ress
ure
27.3
2 Ea
rth d
ays
Orb
ital P
erio
d ar
ound
ear
th
1.63
m/s
ec2
Surf
ace
grav
ity
3.34
g/c
m3
Den
sity
7.35
x 1
0E22
kg
Mas
s
37.8
x 1
06 km
2Su
rfac
e ar
ea
1738
.1 k
mEq
uato
rial r
adiu
s
12
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
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asa.
gov
The
RES
OLV
E pr
ojec
t
•Pu
rpos
e:–
find
wat
er o
r ice
in lu
nar s
oil
–de
mon
stra
te th
e ab
ility
to p
rodu
ce w
ater
and
hen
ce o
xyge
n an
d hy
drog
en fo
r life
sup
port
and
prop
ella
nts
from
luna
r re
golit
h.
•H
ow w
ill th
is b
e do
ne?
–C
ore
sam
ples
of l
unar
rego
lith
heat
ed in
a V
olat
iles
Cha
ract
eriz
atio
n O
ven
to 1
50 ºC
to lo
ok fo
r wat
er v
apor
or
othe
r vol
atile
s.–
Hyd
roge
n re
duct
ion
proc
ess
reac
ts h
ydro
gen
to th
e ox
ides
in
the
luna
r reg
olith
to fo
rm w
ater
, whi
ch c
an th
en b
e sp
lit in
to
H2
& O
2us
ing
elec
troly
sis.
Pro
cess
requ
ires
heat
ing
to
~900
ºC.
13
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
Con
cept
ual I
nteg
rate
d R
ESO
LVE
Uni
t1
H2
Ne
GC
Anh
ydro
us S
alt
Bed
Wat
er
Cap
ture
Ther
mal
Env
elop
e
Fill
Val
ve
Met
al H
ydrid
e H
2 C
aptu
re
Fill
Val
veS
V1
SV
2
Cru
sher
R2
R1
Sig
ht
Gla
ss
Com
bine
d R
VC
and
H
ydro
gen
Red
uctio
n R
OE
Hea
ting
Cha
mbe
r
MFC
1C
V1 C
V2
Rot
ary
Sel
ecto
rV
alve
28V
28V
28V
DD
PP TT
28V
28V
PP TT
28V
28V PP T
Cam
era
Ram
an
28V
D
Cam
era
Ram
anC
amer
aR
aman
28V 28V
DD
Cam
era
Ram
an
28V
D
Cam
era
Ram
anC
amer
aR
aman
28V 28V
DD
Ele
ctro
lysi
sO
2H
2
28V
PT
Ele
ctro
lysi
sO
2H
2
28V
28V
PPTT
28V
28V
PPTT
28V
28V
PPTT
28V
28V
28V
SV
4
28V
28V
SV
4
Dril
l
Orif
ice
SV
3
28V28V28V
CV
3P TPP TT
28V
SV
5
28V
28V
SV
5R
V1
28V
SV
5
28V
28V
SV
5Ta
nk
To L
unar
Vac
cum
1 S
ande
rs, G
eral
d B.
, et.
al.,
“Reg
olith
& E
nviro
nmen
t Sci
ence
, and
Oxy
gen
& Lu
nar V
olat
ile E
xtra
ctio
n (R
ESO
LVE)
for
Rob
otic
Lun
ar P
olar
Lan
der M
issi
on,”
Luna
r Int
erna
tiona
l Con
fere
nce
2005
.
Cru
sher
Dril
l
Ove
n &
Rea
ctio
nC
ham
ber
Anhy
drou
s sa
lt be
dW
ater
cap
ture
Met
al h
ydrid
e
H2
capt
ure
Elec
troly
sis
14
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
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istra
tion
ww
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asa.
gov
Seal
Req
uire
men
ts fo
r Vol
atile
s C
hara
cter
izat
ion
Ove
n (V
CO
)•
Cap
able
of -
233
to 1
50 ºC
•E
ffect
ive
for 0
-75
psid
iffer
entia
ls (m
ay b
e re
vise
d to
150
psi
d)•
Low
or n
o ou
t-gas
sing
in a
vac
uum
(lun
ar 1
0-14
atm
or 7
.6 x
10-
12to
rr)
•Le
akag
e ra
te le
ss th
an 0
.5 c
m3 /m
in d
urin
g 20
min
utes
pro
cess
ing
time
at 5
atm
diffe
rent
ial a
ssum
ing
H2
•C
ompa
tible
with
hyd
roge
n, o
xyge
n, w
ater
, wat
er v
apor
, oth
er v
olat
iles
•To
lera
nt o
f vib
ratio
ns u
p to
10g
at 8
0-10
0 H
z
•R
eusa
ble
up to
40
open
/clo
se c
ycle
s–
Res
ista
nt to
luna
r rad
iatio
n en
viro
nmen
t–
Res
ista
nt to
dam
age
from
luna
r dus
t–
Mat
eria
l rep
els
luna
r dus
t or h
as m
eans
to re
mov
e du
st fr
om s
eal*
–M
ater
ial f
low
s ar
ound
luna
r dus
t tra
pped
at s
eal i
nter
face
*
•Li
ght w
eigh
t S
mal
l loa
d to
ach
ieve
a s
eal
•In
expe
nsiv
e•
Hig
h re
liabi
lity
Lo
w n
umbe
r of c
ompo
nent
s•
Geo
met
rical
ly c
ompa
tible
with
inte
rface
requ
irem
ents
15
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
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istra
tion
ww
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asa.
gov
Cha
lleng
es o
f Sea
ling
Hyd
roge
n R
educ
tion
Rea
ctio
n C
ham
ber
•S
ame
requ
irem
ents
as
the
vola
tiles
cha
ract
eriz
atio
n ov
en e
xcep
t:–
900
ºC–
3 ba
tche
s pr
oces
sed
at 9
00 ºC
•In
itial
ben
ch te
stin
g al
low
s th
e vo
latil
es
char
acte
rizat
ion
oven
to b
e se
para
te fr
om th
e hy
drog
en re
duct
ion
cham
ber.
•W
ant t
he s
ame
cham
ber f
or b
oth
proc
esse
s to
re
duce
wei
ght .
16
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
Som
e O
ptio
ns fo
r Sea
ling
VC
O
•O
-Rin
gs–
Met
al–
Vito
nA
-–
Teflo
n –
cold
flow
s ar
ound
sin
gle
laye
r of d
ust p
artic
le
•Tu
ngst
en C
arbi
de K
nife
edg
e on
Tun
gste
n C
arbi
de–
Kni
fe is
ver
y ha
rd a
nd v
ery
shar
p fo
r cut
ting
any
parti
cles
be
twee
n it
and
the
hard
flat
sea
ling
surfa
ce
•K
nife
edg
e in
to In
dium
or o
ther
sof
t met
al th
at c
ould
be
re-m
elte
d af
ter e
ach
use
to re
stor
e th
e “g
aske
t”m
ater
ial.
Key:
Pro
tect
sea
ling
surfa
ce fr
om d
ust !
17
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
A V
olat
iles
Cha
ract
eriz
atio
n O
ven
Con
cept
Ove
n
Hea
ter
Seal
gro
ove
Fill
open
ing
18
Nat
iona
l Aer
onau
tics
and
Spac
e Ad
min
istra
tion
ww
w.n
asa.
gov
Sum
mar
y
•Lu
nar d
ust p
oses
a c
halle
nge
to lo
ng te
rm m
issi
ons
on th
e m
oon.
•A
sses
smen
t of m
ater
ial c
apab
ilitie
s in
the
luna
r en
viro
nmen
t is
need
ed.
•P
rote
ctin
g an
d/or
cle
anin
g se
alin
g su
rface
s of
luna
r du
st m
ust b
e ad
dres
sed
for r
e-us
able
sea
ls.
•Th
e R
ES
OLV
E p
roje
ct p
oses
a c
halle
ngin
g se
al
prob
lem
.