Forge Technology Demonstrator
Faculty Mentor Name
Siwei Fan, Matthew Haslam
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
With the increasing feasibility of lunar base construction and its increasing importance in future space operations, the ability to harvest, process, and fabricate building materials locally will be critical to reducing the cost of establishing permanent lunar infrastructure. The FORGE (Facility for On-surface Refining, Gathering, and Extraction) technology demonstrator aims to aid in this mission by in-taking, processing, and ultimately producing usable construction materials with the purpose of establishing lunar infrastructure prior to human arrival. Through a process known as Molten Regolith Electrolysis (MRE), key materials such as aluminum, silicon, iron, titanium, and magnesium can be collected by passing a current through molten regolith, using the compound as an electrolyte. In this project, the team aims to develop a trial platform that will be used to analyze the materials collected, specifically regarding the quality and distinction of separation between the materials. To prove that establishing a system like FORGE on the moon is possible, Team FORGE will complete two major tests. The results of these tests will be used as a proof of concept for the viability of induction furnace and MRE-based lunar on-surface refining.
Forge Technology Demonstrator
With the increasing feasibility of lunar base construction and its increasing importance in future space operations, the ability to harvest, process, and fabricate building materials locally will be critical to reducing the cost of establishing permanent lunar infrastructure. The FORGE (Facility for On-surface Refining, Gathering, and Extraction) technology demonstrator aims to aid in this mission by in-taking, processing, and ultimately producing usable construction materials with the purpose of establishing lunar infrastructure prior to human arrival. Through a process known as Molten Regolith Electrolysis (MRE), key materials such as aluminum, silicon, iron, titanium, and magnesium can be collected by passing a current through molten regolith, using the compound as an electrolyte. In this project, the team aims to develop a trial platform that will be used to analyze the materials collected, specifically regarding the quality and distinction of separation between the materials. To prove that establishing a system like FORGE on the moon is possible, Team FORGE will complete two major tests. The results of these tests will be used as a proof of concept for the viability of induction furnace and MRE-based lunar on-surface refining.