Design of a Lunar Solar Wind Volatiles Extraction System

Abstract

Two devices are being developed as part of a project to demonstrate the extraction of helium-3 and other volatiles from lunar regolith. The first is an implantation system to embed helium ions into JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant and the second is a counter flow heat pipe heat exchanger for the subsequent diffusion of the helium out of the regolith. This will simulate the previously proposed acquisition of helium-3 from the Moon for use in nuclear fusion reactors on Earth. Preliminary designs of both of these systems are discussed.1