Closed-Cycle Pneumatic Lunar Soil Transportation System

Abstract

Since the first step on the Moon in 1969, human explored and studied about the Moon. Exploration not only helps us understand but also opens up new opportunities in developing new resources (He-3) critical to the advancement of people in the economy. There is He-3 in the Lunar soil. Lunar soil is transported to facilities for extracting He-3. However, Lunar environment is too different from the Earth's to use the transportation equipments that are used to the Earth such as the truck. So new transportation system for Lunar soil is needed to develop. In this study, the Lunar soil transportation system is developed and experimented for possibility. Basically, pipe and gas are used and there are some factors such as the diameter, length and height of the pipe. It is found out the problem is that the hole should be filled in. The suction machine inhales the Lunar soil, making the hole. To fill in the hole, packer system is developed and experimented for the efficiency and bearing power. And the result shows how much does packer pressure need.