When astronauts return to the lunar surface they are probably going to be doing more driving than walking – but to keep billowing moondust at bay they are going to need roads. An ESA-led project tested the creation of roadworthy surfaces by melting simulated moondust with a powerful laser.
ESA’s PAVER — Paving the road for large area sintering of regolith – project investigated the feasibility of lunar roadmaking, led by Germany’s BAM Institute of Materials Research and Testing with Aalen University in Germany, LIQUIFER Systems Group in Austria, Germany’s Clausthal University of Technology and the Institute of Materials Physics in Space of the German Aerospace Center, DLR .
The PAVER consortium made use of a 12-kilowatt carbon dioxide laser to melt simulated moondust into a glassy solid surface, as a way of constructing paved surfaces on the face of the Moon. This laser is serving as a light source for our experiments, to take the place of lunar sunlight which could be concentrated using a Fresnel lens a couple of metres across to produce equivalent melting on the surface of the Moon.
During testing at BAM, the team achieved a spot size of 5-10 cm. Proceeding through trial and error, they devised a strategy using a 4.5 cm diameter laser beam to produce triangular, hollow-centred geometric shapes approximately 2.5 m in size. These could be interlocked to create solid surfaces across large areas of lunar soil which could serve as roads or landing pads.
This project originated from a call for ideas run by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities through the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP), asking for research ideas related to off-Earth manufacturing and construction.
Credits: PAVER consortium
★ Subscribe: and click twice on the bell button to receive our notifications.
Check out our full video catalog:
Follow us on Twitter:
On Facebook:
On Instagram:
On LinkedIn:
On Pinterest:
On Flickr:
We are Europe’s gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out to get up to speed on everything space related.
Copyright information about our videos is available here:
#ESA
#Moon
#LunarMission
5 views
198
60
3 weeks ago 00:12:05 1
ZenBusiness Review 2024: What Makes It Stand Out?
4 weeks ago 00:12:48 1
The Brand New STIHL MS400.1! WHY is this CHAINSAW different?
1 month ago 00:02:33 1
Character Teaser - “Chasca: Love and Peace“ | Genshin Impact #GenshinImpact #Teaser #Chasca
1 month ago 00:02:43 1
Yearning Kru - Multipass
1 month ago 00:04:27 1
Botsol vs. Leads Sniper: Email Extractor Showdown 🔥
1 month ago 00:20:02 1
NEW Thermaltake TH360 V2 Ultra ARGB Sync AIO CPU Water Cooler With IPS LCD Screen
2 months ago 00:03:47 1
Small Buchla
2 months ago 00:01:34 1
INSIDE a $3,000,000 Luxury Home for Sale in Paris | 3 BEDROOMS 3 BATHROOMS | Champs Elysées
2 months ago 00:24:42 1
5 PSYCHOPATH EXPERT Reacts to LET THIS GRIEVING SOUL RETIRE! episode 5
2 months ago 00:01:32 1
The Trader, Death and You | English Trailer
2 months ago 01:28:47 1
PINCHING PENNY 🎬 Exclusive Full Thriller Action Movie 🎬 English HD 2023
2 months ago 00:03:23 1
[단독샷캠4K] 에스파 ’Whiplash’ 단독샷 별도녹화│aespa ONE TAKE STAGE│@SBS Inkigayo 241027
2 months ago 00:01:55 1
Life series - HEY KIDS - Fan animated anime intro
2 months ago 00:01:00 1
ТАК ТЫКВУ ВЫ НЕ ГОТОВИЛИ‼️ А ЗРЯ‼️ВКУСНЕЙШАЯ ЗАКУСКА ИЗ ТЫКВЫ ЗА 20 МИНУТ #Shorts
2 months ago 00:41:50 1
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2024
2 months ago 00:02:30 3
Shook Ones - Ebb and Flow [2022 LIVE VIDEO]
2 months ago 00:09:23 1
The Galaxy S24 Ultra Can Run Real PC Games Using Winlator! Not Cloud Gaming
2 months ago 00:28:22 1
Activate Autophagy For A Long Life But Don’t Do THIS
2 months ago 00:05:07 1
Creative Hacks for a More Sustainable Bathroom
2 months ago 00:11:01 1
I Built a $5000 Powerhouse: It’s Insane! | Core Ultra 9 285K + 4090 | ROG Hyperion PC Build
2 months ago 00:00:00 1
20 Mins Full Body Kettlebell FLOW Workout (Complex Long flows)
2 months ago 00:04:25 1
Small Dog Raping Cat in Heat by Force
2 months ago 00:00:00 1
MADNESS: THE AGENCY [Ep3.5]: Transposition (Feat. Lt-Abdelhak)
2 months ago 02:00:02 1
Skyrim Music and Ambience | Morthal [4K | 60fps | Mods]