Performance of lunar sulfer concrete in lunar environments
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This study explores an alternative to hydraulic concrete by replacing the binding mix of concrete (cement and water) with sulfur. Sulfur is a volatile element on the lunar surface that can be extracted from lunar soils by heating. Sulfur concrete mixes were prepared to investigate the effect of extreme environmental conditions such as impact and space radiation on the properties of sulfur concrete. A hypervelocity impact test was conducted, having as its target small sulfur concrete samples. The lunar concrete samples have been prepared using JSC-1 lunar simulant, produced by Johnson Space Center, as an aggregate addition. The sample was placed in the MSFC Impact Test Facility’s Micro Light Gas Gun’ target chamber, and was struck by a 1-mm diameter (∼1.4e−03 g) aluminum projectile at 5.85 km/s.