Lunar thermal mining: Phase change interface movement, production decline and implications for systems engineering

Abstract

Thermal mining is a promising architecture, which may provide reliable and ‘dirt-simple’ means of production of space-sourced water, oxygen and rocket propellant in the future. It is especially tailored to water ice deposits that exist within lunar Permanently Shadowed Regions, where our quest for riches of the Outer Space might begin.Here, the thermal mining extraction system is simulated and analysed with combined heat and mass transfer FEM modelling. The results exhibited that water extraction on the Moon might follow specific production phases, which closely relate to changes in the sublimation interface movement over large timeframes. The production behaviour on the Moon might have many characteristics of relevant production systems on Earth. This may open door for many well-established terrestrial models and production projections to be refitted to extraterrestrial case.It was found that the required water yields of the thermal mining architecture, which make its case economically and commercially viable, are hard to reach without production optimization and new systems development. The production is projected to be significantly hindered by sublimation lag build-up, which would create thermal insulation for the icy deposits. Sublimation lag removal and other strategies might be the answer to that problem.