General lunar surface equipment protection device based on in-situ resources

Abstract

The invention discloses a universal protection device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources, and relates to the technical field of lunar surface equipment protection. The device comprises a lunar soil layer, a base is mounted at the top of the lunar soil layer, and a protective cover assembly is mounted at the top of the lunar soil layer; an isolation layer is installed on the top of the base, a temperature control layer is connected to the top of the isolation layer, and a heat storage module is installed on the top of the temperature control layer and located in the protective cover assembly. Moon night heat preservation is achieved through the heat storage module, the protective cover assembly, solar energy utilization and efficient heat protection, space irradiation shielding and micro-meteorite impact protection are achieved through the flexible high-performance protective material, large-scale construction and long-period operation of the moon base are supported, the main protective material is obtained through lunar surface in-situ resource conversion, and the protection effect is good. Therefore, economical batch lunar surface equipment protection is realized, and dependence on a lunar surface energy system is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lunar surface equipment protection technology, specifically a universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid development of science and technology and the continuous pursuit of space exploration, human understanding of the moon has gradually shifted from simple observation to in-depth exploration, and plans have been made to build a permanent lunar base to prepare for future deep space exploration and resource development. The construction of a lunar base requires the deployment of a series of scientific research instruments and equipment on the lunar surface and the long-term operation of manned or unmanned lunar activities. Due to the harsh environmental characteristics of the lunar surface, such as large temperature differences between day and night, space radiation, and micrometeorite bombardment, the lunar surface protection of instruments and equipment will be an important factor to be considered in the construction of a large-scale base.

[0003] To address the threat of large temperature differences between day and night on the moon, efficient thermal control systems are typically designed, employing radioisotope heat sources (RHUs) for active heating to ensure survival during the lunar night. To mitigate the impact of lunar cosmic rays and high-energy particles on electronic equipment, radiation shielding materials such as high-density polyethylene, lead, or special alloys are commonly used to reduce the risk of long-term exposure. To cope with physical damage from micrometeorite impacts, robust outer shells and buffer layers are designed to resist damage, with additional protective layers added to critical areas. However, these protective measures are only implemented on specific payload equipment and become obsolete as the equipment reaches the end of its lifespan, resulting in resource waste. With the large-scale construction of lunar bases and the operation of numerous devices, there is a need to establish reusable and economical universal protective devices. Therefore, we propose a universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources. It uses resources directly obtained from the lunar surface to manufacture protective materials on-site, supporting the large-scale construction and long-term operation of lunar bases. Furthermore, it utilizes an energy storage system to rationally allocate lunar day and night solar energy resources to achieve lunar night insulation, which can significantly reduce dependence on the base's energy supply system.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources, comprising a lunar regolith layer, a base installed on the top of the lunar regolith layer, and a protective cover assembly installed on the top of the lunar regolith layer;

[0006] An isolation layer is installed on the top of the base, a temperature control layer is connected to the top of the isolation layer, a heat storage module is installed on the top of the temperature control layer, and the heat storage module is located inside the protective cover assembly.

[0007] The top of the isolation layer is provided with a channel area, which is located at the end of the thermal storage module, and the top of the channel area is set as a slope.

[0008] A control module is installed on the top of the lunar soil layer. The control module is located inside the protective shield assembly and is used to control the protective shield assembly and transmit data.

[0009] Furthermore, the lunar regolith layer is the exposed surface of the lunar surface that has been flattened and compacted, and grooves for supporting the base are formed on the surface of the lunar regolith layer.

[0010] Furthermore, the base includes a reinforced frame fixed on the lunar regolith layer. The reinforced frame has multiple rectangular holes inside, which are filled with lunar regolith. The reinforced frame is fabricated using 3D printing.

[0011] Furthermore, the protective cover assembly includes multiple support frames, with a protective layer on the upper surface and a heat insulation layer on the lower surface of the multiple support frames;

[0012] The protective cover assembly also includes a motor, ball bearings, rigid connecting plates, multiple sets of reinforcing ribs, multiple sets of supporting hinge rods, traction wires, and a winding machine. The motor is installed on both sides of the heat storage module and is electrically connected to the control module. The ball bearings are sleeved on the output shaft of the motor, and the output shaft of the motor is fixed to the rigid connecting plates through a coupling or flange. The outermost reinforcing ribs are fixed to the rigid connecting plates, and the remaining reinforcing ribs are fixed to the ball bearings at equal intervals. The supporting hinge rods are hinged to each other in pairs and to the reinforcing ribs, and the connection between the two supporting hinge rods in a group is also hinged to the supporting frame. The winding machine is fixed to the end of the motor. One end of the traction wire is fixed to the hinge joint inside the supporting hinge rod group, and the other end passes through the central through hole of the motor and connects to the winding machine.

[0013] Furthermore, the support frame is a fiber-woven rod prepared from in-situ lunar soil or a carbon fiber rod. Multiple support frames are rotatably connected to the side wall of the base, and the multiple support frames are evenly distributed at equal intervals. When two adjacent support frames are unfolded, they form a fan-shaped angle.

[0014] Furthermore, the protective layer is made of fibers flexibly woven from in-situ lunar soil, the heat insulation layer is composed of an aerogel layer, and the surface of the heat insulation layer is coated with a high-reflectivity coating.

[0015] Furthermore, the isolation layer is made of fibers prepared from in-situ lunar soil and is electrically connected to the control module. The temperature control layer includes a temperature measuring component and a heating component. The temperature measuring component is used to monitor the temperature of the thermal storage module, and the heating component is used to compensate for heating of the thermal storage module.

[0016] Furthermore, the temperature measuring component is configured as a temperature sensor, and the heating component is configured as an electric heater.

[0017] Furthermore, the thermal storage module includes a lunar soil molding component disposed above the temperature control layer, and the lunar soil molding component is provided with a thermally conductive reinforcement, which is made of thermally conductive metal or ceramic material.

[0018] Furthermore, the control module includes a control box, and the side wall of the control box is provided with an internal power interface, an internal signal interface, an external power interface, and an external signal interface.

[0019] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0020] (1) The lunar surface protection device described in this invention has universal scalability and can be constructed in a serialized manner according to the subsequent protection needs of batch lunar surface equipment. It is reusable in the time dimension. After the life of a batch of equipment ends, it can serve a new batch of equipment, supporting the large-scale construction and long-term operation of the lunar base.

[0021] (2) The lunar surface protection device described in this invention has the characteristics of economical construction and low energy consumption in operation. The materials used in construction are mainly lunar surface resources or in-situ recyclable materials, which reduces the cost of launching and transporting materials. The energy required for protection is mainly controlled by intelligent regulation of solar energy storage, which reduces dependence on lunar surface energy systems and results in low energy consumption in system operation.

[0022] (3) The lunar surface protection device described in this invention can be constructed in stages according to the lunar surface operation capability. In the initial stage, a relatively low in-situ ratio scheme can be adopted, and some components can be pre-prepared on the ground and sent to the lunar surface for assembly. After stable operation, a high in-situ ratio scheme can be adopted to replace the ground-carried components.

[0023] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the protective cover assembly in this invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the base structure in this invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal storage module in this invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the control module in this invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolding and retracting structure of the motor control protective cover in this invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0031] Figure label:

[0032] 1. Protective cover assembly; 101. Protective layer; 102. Support frame; 103. Insulation layer; 2. Lunar regolith layer; 3. Base; 301. Reinforced frame; 302. Lunar regolith; 4. Isolation layer; 5. Temperature control layer; 6. Heat storage module; 601. Lunar regolith molding component; 602. Thermally conductive reinforcement; 7. Channel area; 8. Control module; 801. Internal power interface; 802. Internal signal interface; 803. External power interface; 804. External signal interface; 805. Control box; 901. Motor; 902. Ball bearing; 903. Rigid connecting piece; 904. Winding machine; 905. Support hinge rod assembly; 906. Reinforcing rib assembly; 907. Traction line; 10. Lunar surface equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0034] Please see Figures 1-7 The present invention provides a technical solution: a universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources, including a lunar regolith layer 2, a base 3 installed on the top of the lunar regolith layer 2, and a protective cover assembly 1 installed on the top of the lunar regolith layer 2;

[0035] An isolation layer 4 is installed on the top of the base 3, a temperature control layer 5 is connected to the top of the isolation layer 4, a heat storage module 6 is installed on the top of the temperature control layer 5, and the heat storage module 6 is located inside the protective cover assembly 1.

[0036] The top of the isolation layer 4 is provided with a channel area 7, which is located at the end of the heat storage module 6, and the top of the channel area 7 is set as a slope.

[0037] A control module 8 is installed on the top of the lunar soil layer 2. The control module 8 is located inside the protective cover assembly 1 and is used to control the protective cover assembly 1 and transmit data.

[0038] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the lunar soil layer 2 is the exposed surface of the lunar surface that has been flattened and compacted. The surface of the lunar soil layer 2 is provided with a groove for supporting the base 3, which is used to support the entire protective device. At the same time, the low thermal conductivity of the lunar soil 302 is used for heat insulation.

[0039] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the base 3 includes a reinforcing frame 301 fixed on the lunar soil layer 2. The reinforcing frame 301 has multiple rectangular holes inside, which are filled with lunar soil 302. The reinforcing frame 301 can be prepared by 3D printing or assembled by lunar soil 302 bricks.

[0040] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the protective cover assembly 1 includes a plurality of support frames 102, the upper surface of the plurality of support frames 102 is provided with a protective layer 101, and the lower surface is provided with a heat insulation layer 103.

[0041] like Figure 6 As shown, the protective cover assembly 1 also includes a motor 901, a ball bearing 902, a rigid connecting plate 903, multiple sets of reinforcing ribs, multiple sets of supporting hinge rods 905, a traction line 907, and a winding machine 904. The motor 901 is installed on both sides of the heat storage module 6 and is electrically connected to the control module 8. The ball bearing 902 is sleeved on the output shaft of the motor 901. The output shaft of the motor 901 is fixed to the rigid connecting plate 903 through a coupling or flange. The outermost reinforcement... The reinforcing rib group 906 is fixedly connected to the rigid connecting piece 903, and the remaining reinforcing rib groups are fixedly connected to the ball bearing 902 at equal intervals. The support hinge rod groups 905 are hinged to each other in pairs and to the reinforcing rib groups. The connection between the two support hinge rod groups 905 in a group is also hinged to the support frame 102. The winding machine 904 is fixed to the end of the motor 901. One end of the traction line 907 is fixedly connected to the hinge joint inside the support hinge rod group 905, and the other end passes through the central through hole of the motor 901 and is connected to the winding machine 904.

[0042] The protective cover assembly 1 unfolds as follows: the winding machine 904 rotates to release the traction line 907, and the motor 901 drives the outermost reinforcing rib group 906, the support hinge rod group 905 and the remaining reinforcing rib groups to rotate to unfold the protective cover.

[0043] The process of retracting the protective cover assembly 1 is as follows: The winding machine 904 rotates and tightens the traction line 907. At this time, the support frame 102 will move inward, thereby causing the protective layer 101 and the heat insulation layer 103 on the top plane to fold. Then, the motor 901 drives the outermost reinforcing rib group 906 to rotate in the opposite direction, which can drive multiple reinforcing rib groups to rotate accordingly, and cooperate with the support hinge rod group 905 to fold and realize the overall retraction of the protective cover assembly 1.

[0044] Furthermore, the support frame 102 is a fiber-woven rod prepared from in-situ lunar soil or a carbon fiber rod. Multiple support frames 102 are rotatably connected to the side wall of the base 3, and the multiple support frames 102 are evenly distributed at equal intervals. When two adjacent support frames 102 are unfolded, they form a fan-shaped angle. The support frame 102 mainly serves as the support for the unfolding mechanism.

[0045] Furthermore, the protective layer 101 is made of fibers flexibly woven from in-situ lunar soil, the heat insulation layer 103 is composed of an aerogel layer, and the surface of the heat insulation layer 103 is coated with a high-reflection coating.

[0046] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the isolation layer 4 is woven from fibers prepared in situ using lunar soil. It mainly serves to provide mechanical protection at the interface between the base 3 and the temperature control layer 5, local leveling, and protection against lunar dust contamination. It should be noted that preparing fibers from in-situ lunar soil is an existing technology, and it can generally be prepared using melt spinning or a combination of sol-gel and spinning methods, as detailed below:

[0047] Melt spinning: The lunar soil is heated above its melting point to form molten glass or magma, and then the melt is drawn into continuous fibers by a spinneret (similar to glass fiber production on Earth) or by centrifugal force, airflow stretching, etc.

[0048] Sol-gel method combined with spinning method: Lunar soil is dissolved in a specific chemical solvent to form a sol, and then gelled by controlling the conditions. The gel is then drawn into fibers by combining electrospinning, dry spinning or wet spinning technology, and finally the fibers are obtained by high-temperature calcination.

[0049] Furthermore, the temperature control layer 5 is electrically connected to the control module 8. The temperature control layer 5 includes a temperature measuring component and a heating component. The temperature measuring component is used to monitor the temperature of the thermal storage module 6 and feed it back to the control module 8. The heating component is used to compensate for heating the thermal storage module 6 by utilizing the abundant electricity during the lunar day.

[0050] Furthermore, the temperature measuring component is configured as a temperature sensor, and the heating component is configured as an electric heater.

[0051] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the thermal storage module 6 includes a lunar soil forming component 601 disposed above the temperature control layer 5. The lunar soil forming component 601 is the main body of thermal storage and is manufactured using lunar soil 302 as raw material. A thermally conductive reinforcement 602 is disposed inside the lunar soil forming component 601 to improve thermal storage efficiency. The thermally conductive reinforcement 602 is made of high thermal conductivity metal or ceramic material and needs to be carried from the ground.

[0052] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the control module 8 includes a control box 805, and an internal power interface 801, an internal signal interface 802, an external power interface 803, and an external signal interface 804 are respectively provided on the side wall of the control box 805.

[0053] The internal power interface 801 is responsible for the internal power needs of the protective cover assembly 1, the internal signal interface 802 is responsible for the internal data flow and control flow transmission of the protective cover assembly 1, the external power interface 803 is responsible for the external power supply interface of the protective cover assembly 1, the external signal interface 804 is responsible for the external data flow and control flow interface of the protective cover assembly 1, and the control box 805 consists of a power supply and related control boards, which is the power supply and control center of the protective device.

[0054] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the channel area 7 is located at the edge of the thermal storage module 6 and serves as the equipment access channel. The ground is hardened by 3D printing or by assembling Lunar Soil 302 bricks.

[0055] In accordance with the technical solution of this embodiment, a lunar surface device 10 is also provided on the thermal storage module 6. The lunar surface device 10 is located above the thermal storage module 6 in a protected state. If it is a movable device, it can enter and exit through the channel area 7. If it is a non-movable device, it can enter and exit with the assistance of a lunar surface operation robot.

[0056] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments:

[0057] Example 1:

[0058] See Figure 4 In this embodiment, the thickness of the thermal storage module 6 is not less than 200mm. The unit horizontal length m and vertical height n can be adjusted according to the lunar latitude where the protective device is located. In high-latitude regions, the vertical part of the thermal storage module 6 is the main thermal storage area; in low-latitude regions, the horizontal part of the thermal storage module 6 is the main thermal storage area.

[0059] Example 2:

[0060] See Figure 1 and Figure 7 In embodiment (a), based on embodiment one, the further improvement is as follows: During the lunar day, the solar energy is used to heat the thermal storage module 6, and its temperature level is controlled within the suitable storage range of electronic devices, which is 40-85°C; when the temperature level is high, the internal signal interface 802 of the control module 8 controls the motor 901 to keep the protective cover assembly 1 in a closed or semi-closed state to reduce heat absorption; when the temperature level is high, the internal signal interface 802 of the control module 8 controls the temperature control layer 5 to use excess power for compensatory heating, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 , Figure 7 (b) and Figure 7 In the middle (c), during the lunar day and night cycle, the lunar surface equipment 10 is autonomously or passively transferred to the heat storage module 6, and the control module 8 controls the motor 901 to close the protective cover assembly 1.

[0061] After the lunar night ends, the new lunar day working period begins. The external signal interface 804 of the control module 8 receives the instruction and controls the motor 901 to open the protective cover assembly 1. The lunar surface equipment 10 leaves the protective device and begins to work at the designated position. In particular, if the control module 8 is low on power in the initial state, it can be recharged through the external power interface 803.

[0062] In summary, this invention achieves lunar night insulation through a thermal storage module 6, a protective shield assembly 1, solar energy utilization, and efficient thermal protection. It also achieves space radiation shielding and micrometeorite impact protection through flexible, high-performance protective materials, supporting the large-scale construction and long-term operation of lunar bases. Furthermore, the main protective materials will be obtained through in-situ conversion of lunar resources, thereby achieving economical mass production of lunar equipment 10 protection and reducing dependence on lunar energy systems.

[0063] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0064] For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances. When an element is referred to as being "assembled on," "mounted on," "fixed to," or "set on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element present. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible embodiments.

[0065] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0066] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

Claims

1. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources, comprising a lunar regolith layer, characterized in that, A base is installed on the top of the lunar regolith layer, and a protective cover assembly is installed on the top of the lunar regolith layer; An isolation layer is installed on the top of the base, a temperature control layer is connected to the top of the isolation layer, a heat storage module is installed on the top of the temperature control layer, and the heat storage module is located inside the protective cover assembly. The top of the isolation layer is provided with a channel area, which is located at the end of the thermal storage module, and the top of the channel area is set as a slope. A control module is installed on the top of the lunar soil layer. The control module is located inside the protective shield assembly and is used to control the protective shield assembly and transmit data.

2. The universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lunar regolith layer is the exposed surface of the moon that has been flattened and compacted, and grooves for supporting the base are formed on the surface of the lunar regolith layer.

3. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 2, characterized in that: The base includes a reinforced frame fixed on the lunar regolith layer. The interior of the reinforced frame has multiple rectangular holes filled with lunar regolith. The reinforced frame is fabricated using 3D printing.

4. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 3, characterized in that: The protective cover assembly includes multiple support frames, with a protective layer on the upper surface and a heat insulation layer on the lower surface of the multiple support frames. The protective cover assembly also includes a motor, ball bearings, rigid connecting plates, multiple sets of reinforcing ribs, multiple sets of supporting hinge rods, traction wires, and a winding machine. The motor is installed on both sides of the heat storage module and is electrically connected to the control module. The ball bearings are sleeved on the output shaft of the motor, and the output shaft of the motor is fixed to the rigid connecting plates through a coupling or flange. The outermost reinforcing ribs are fixed to the rigid connecting plates, and the remaining reinforcing ribs are fixed to the ball bearings at equal intervals. The supporting hinge rods are hinged to each other in pairs and to the reinforcing ribs, and the connection between the two supporting hinge rods in a group is also hinged to the supporting frame. The winding machine is fixed to the end of the motor. One end of the traction wire is fixed to the hinge joint inside the supporting hinge rod group, and the other end passes through the central through hole of the motor and connects to the winding machine.

5. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support frame is a fiber-woven rod prepared from in-situ lunar soil or a carbon fiber rod. Multiple support frames are rotatably connected to the side wall of the base, and the multiple support frames are evenly distributed at equal intervals. When two adjacent support frames are unfolded, they form a fan-shaped angle.

6. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 4, characterized in that: The protective layer is made of fibers flexibly woven from in-situ lunar soil, the heat insulation layer is composed of an aerogel layer, and the surface of the heat insulation layer is coated with a high-reflection coating.

7. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 4, characterized in that: The isolation layer is made of fibers prepared from in-situ lunar soil. The temperature control layer is electrically connected to the control module. The temperature control layer includes a temperature measuring component and a heating component. The temperature measuring component is used to monitor the temperature of the thermal storage module, and the heating component is used to compensate for heating of the thermal storage module.

8. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 7, characterized in that: The temperature measuring component is configured as a temperature sensor, and the heating component is configured as an electric heater.

9. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 8, characterized in that: The thermal storage module includes a lunar soil molding component disposed above the temperature control layer. The lunar soil molding component has a thermally conductive reinforcement inside, which is made of thermally conductive metal or ceramic material.

10. A universal protective device for lunar surface equipment based on in-situ resources according to claim 9, characterized in that: The control module includes a control box, on the side wall of which are respectively provided an internal power interface, an internal signal interface, an external power interface, and an external signal interface.

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