In-Situ Resource Utilization allows the production, gathering and use of materials on astronomical bodies which would otherwise be brought from Earth. A central component for sustainable space travel is the utilization of water, e.g. for fuel production. The Lunar Volatiles Mobile Instrumentation aims to find water on the lunar surface.
As a research assistant, I got involved through the following activities:
- Analyzing prior models and deriving working and failing parameters
- Development of new geometries of a lunar drill
- Construction of the prototypes using 3D-printing methods
- Performance testing on test stand in the chair-owned laboratories
- Identification and optimization of critical parameters