Lunar stone saw

• Main Authors: Croker, Todd, Walton, Todd, Clark, Tom, Knight, Mike, Hines, Ken
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1988
• Subjects: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2060/19900014425

This project addresses the problem of cutting lunar stones into blocks to be used to construct shelters to protect personnel and equipment from harmful solar radiation. This plant will manufacture 6 in x 1 ft x 2 ft blocks and will be located near the south pole to allow it to be in the shade at all times. This design uses a computer controlled robot, a boulder handler that uses hydraulics for movement, a computer system that used 3-D vision to determine the size of boulders, a polycrystalline diamond tipped saw blade that utilizes radiation for cooling, and a solar tower to collect solar energy. Only two electric motors are used in this plant because of the heavy weight of electric motors and the problem of cooling them. These two motors will be cooled by thermoelectric cooling. All other motors and actuators are to be hydraulic. The architectural design for the building as well as the conceptual design of the machines for cutting the blocks are described.