Project Duneflow

Project Duneflow aims to enable direct characterization and comparison of regolith simulants under lunar gravity. Researchers plan to quantify gravity-dependent geotechnical properties (e.g., angle of internal friction) of existing and recently developed lunar regolith simulants. Successful testing in lunar gravity during suborbital flight is expected to lead to advancements in manufacturing of geotechnical simulants (i.e., those that better replicate flow behavior). This in turn may enable better testing of excavation and regolith conveyance systems leading to greater effectiveness of the tested technologies.

Summary for 2/4/2025 Flight Test
ICON on behalf of the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Game Changing Development (GCD) Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project has successfully conducted an experiment into lunar gravity terramechanics. Lunar regolith, lunar regolith simulants, and reference material were subjected to simulated lunar gravity aboard Blue Origin NS-29. The video data recorded will advance the understanding of how these materials respond to conventional approaches to conveyance, tune the gravity component in our present models of powder flow, and shed light on the mechanical viability of our Earthly simulants.

Project Duneflow aims to enable direct characterization and comparison of regolith simulants under a lunar gravity field. Researchers plan to quantify gravity-dependent geotechnical properties (e.g., angle of internal friction) of old and new simulants. Successful testing in lunar gravity on a suborbital flight is expected to lead to advancements in manufacturing of geotechnical simulants (those that better replicate flow behavior). This in turn may enable better testing of excavation and regolith conveyance systems, and lead to greater effectiveness of the tested technologies. This has the potential to benefit NASA missions, the commercial space industry, other government agencies, and the nation.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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