About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Materials Research in Reduced Gravity
|
| Presentation Title |
UPREB: Universal Predictors of Regolith Behavior for Lunar ISRU Payloads |
| Author(s) |
Tehya Birch, Matthias Weber, Achim Seidel, Emanuele Monchieri, Markus Franz, Volker Schmidt, Orkun Furat, Urs Peuker, Ralf Ditscherlein, Lisa Ditscherlein, Carsten Schilde, Tobias Lamping, Georg Poehle, Christian Redlich |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Achim Seidel |
| Abstract Scope |
This presentation introduces UPREB (Universal Predictors of Regolith Behavior), a novel method designed to predict the static and dynamic rheological behavior of lunar regolith in interaction with equipment on the Moon. UPREB aims to primarily improve the development of lunar equipment for reliable regolith processing, such as for oxygen and metal production. Lunar regolith, with its complex mechanical behavior and sharp-edged particles, poses challenges in handling and transporting under the extreme lunar conditions. UPREB addresses these challenges by integrating Earth-based tests with regolith simulants, numerical models, and regolith digital twins generated from 3D tomographs and chemical composition data. Experiments performed under different conditions, including varying g-levels, atmospheres, and temperatures, will calibrate and validate these models. Future lunar missions will provide in-situ data for improved predictive power. UPREB’s approach can be extended to predict the behavior of regolith on other celestial bodies, making it a universally applicable tool for space exploration. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |