High-Regolith-Content UV-Curable Composites for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)

Abstract

NASA's In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) initiative aims to eliminate Earth-dependency by developing sustainable, on-site manufacturing solutions for deep-space endurance and colonization missions to the Moon and Mars, and even beyond. Regolith–resin composites, which combine abundant extraterrestrial soil with UV-curable polymers, represent a promising class of materials for lightweight, energy-efficient, and on-site fabrication. This research investigates the feasibility and performance of regolith–resin composites with solid loadings up to 85 wt.%, using Lunar Highlands Simulant (LHS-1) Regolith and Mars Global Simulant (MGS-1) Regolith as fillers. Two UV-assisted approaches, pressure compaction and blade coating were employed to fabricate composite specimens in a layer-by-layer style. The fabricated samples were then evaluated for producing robust, thermally insulating, and radiation-shielding components suitable for extraterrestrial environments. Mechanical testing demonstrated compressive strengths up to 9.64 MPa and tensile strengths up to 1.70 MPa, with pressure compaction generally yielding higher strength due to improved compaction. Thermal conductivity measurements ranged from 0.052 to 0.116 W·m−1·K−1, indicating strong heat insulation properties. Radiation shielding simulations using NASA's OLTARIS tool showed that the composites achieved dose-equivalent performance. This research demonstrates the potential of regolith-resin composites as a practical solution for in-space manufacturing, combining high regolith utilization with favorable multifunctional performance for deep-space missions and long-term missions.