Development and Geotechnical Engineering Properties of KLS-1 Lunar Simulant

Abstract

Lunar exploration, which slowed in the 21st century after the Apollo program, has seen more activity recently with the participation of Asian countries such as Japan, China, and India. Because lunar modules and rovers cannot be tested directly on lunar soil, these countries have developed lunar simulants. Simulating lunar soil is difficult and expensive because its formation mechanism and geotechnical behavior are comprehensively different from those of the terrestrial soil. Johnson Space Center Number One (JSC-1) and Johnson Space Center Number One A (JSC-1A), developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, are the most widely used simulants. Korea has yet to succeed in developing a lunar simulant that meets international standards. The authors perform basic research on lunar simulant development based on basalt samples having similar chemical and mechanical properties to those of lunar soil, with reference to lunar soil data reported under the Apollo program. The resulting prototype is named Korea Lunar Stimulant—Type 1 (KLS-1). Compared with other lunar simulants [JSC-1 and Fuji Japanese Simulant 1 (FJS-1)], KLS-1 shows promise in terms of affordability and similarity to real lunar soil. As such, it is expected to find a wide variety of applications not only in space development projects but also in international research.