Session: 03-09-01: Materials for Extreme Environments

Paper Number: 184946

184946 - Engineering Regolith-Derived Heat Shield Tiles for Planetary Entry and Return Systems 

The development of heat shielding materials derived from in-situ Lunar/Martian resources is a critical step toward sustainable human and robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars. This study investigates the engineering of heat shield tiles fabricated from Lunar and Martian regolith simulants combined with a photocurable polymer through functional gradient design and a tailored in-situ ultraviolet (UV) curing strategy. The work introduces the Regolith-Embedded Carbon Photopolymer Ablator (ReCPA)—a UV-curable, functionally graded thermal protection composite engineered for in-situ fabrication on extraterrestrial surface. In an off-world manufacturing context, concentrated sunlight could serve as an alternative curing source, offering an energy-efficient and scalable pathway for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU).

The graded ReCPA architecture is designed to emulate the thermochemical progression of classical ablative materials, incorporating an outer heat-absorbing layer, a silicate-rich insulating layer, and an inner stress-relief layer to enhance mechanical stability. The study focuses on optimizing processing parameters and material composition to achieve favorable thermal protection, mechanical integrity, and ablation resistance under simulated atmospheric entry conditions. Comprehensive characterization—including density, thermal conductivity, specific heat, emissivity, compressive strength, microstructural evaluation, and thermal cycling tests—was conducted to assess performance relative to conventional ablative materials.

The results demonstrate that regolith–carbon–photopolymer composites can maintain structural integrity and thermal resistance under extreme heating and repeated thermal cycling, underscoring their promise as ISRU-enabled thermal protection materials for future planetary entry and return missions.

Presenting Author: Yinong Chen University of Illinois Chicago

Presenting Author Biography: Yinong Chen is a Ph.D. student in Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago. She works in Professor Yayue Pan's lab and NASA MIRO Center for in-space manufacturing. Her research interests are additive manufacturing, polymer composite fabrication and in-space manufacturing.