Misplaced Pages

#51948

55-522: The Mont-Louis Solar Furnace is an experimental solar furnace - a solar thermal energy facility that was built in 1949. It was the first facility of its kind in the world, and was a precursor of the Odeillo Solar Furnace . It provides a thermal power of 50 kW. The French chemist Félix Trombe and his team made an initial demonstration of a mirror of DCA in Meudon in 1946 to show

110-624: A focal point . The temperature at the focal point may reach 3,500 °C (6,330 °F), and this heat can be used to generate electricity , melt steel , make hydrogen fuel or nanomaterials . The largest solar furnace is at Odeillo in the Pyrénées-Orientales in France , opened in 1970. It employs an array of plane mirrors to gather sunlight, reflecting it onto a larger curved mirror. The ancient Greek / Latin term heliocaminus literally means "solar furnace" and refers to

165-563: A glass -enclosed sunroom intentionally designed to become hotter than the outside air temperature. Legendary accounts of the Siege of Syracuse (213–212 BC) tell of Archimedes' heat ray , a set of burnished brass mirrors or burning glasses supposedly used to ignite attacking ships, though modern historians doubt its veracity. The first modern solar furnace is believed to have been built in France in 1949 by Professor Félix Trombe. The device,

220-599: A combination of heat and kinetic energy, and electron beam free form fabrication of parts. Approaches such as these, as well as examination of material properties that can be investigated in an orbiting laboratory, will be studied on the International Space Station by NASA and Made In Space, Inc. The option of 3D printing items in space holds many advantages over manufacturing situated on Earth. With 3D printing technologies, rather than exporting tools and equipment from Earth into space, astronauts have

275-667: A joint line). In-space manufacturing removes spacecraft design limitations due to launch parameters (mass, vibration, structural load, etc.) and volume limitations imposed by payload size. It allows for recycling of launched materials, utilization space-mined resources and on-demand spare parts production, which enables on-site repair of critical parts (increasing reliability and redundancy) and infrastructure development. It takes advantage of unique space features such as microgravity, ultra-vacuum and containerless processing, which are difficult to do on Earth. In-space manufacturing (ISM) can be categorized into three different areas according to

330-494: A laboratory to perform various space manufacturing experiments. The station was equipped with a materials processing facility that included a multi-purpose electric furnace , a crystal growth chamber, and an electron beam gun. Among the experiments to be performed was research on molten metal processing; photographing the behavior of ignited materials in zero-gravity; crystal growth; processing of immiscible alloys ; brazing of stainless steel tubes, electron beam welding , and

385-467: A large, flexible net or inflatable structure that would transfer the momentum of the mass to the larger facility. Once in place, the materials can be moved into place by mechanical means or by means of small thrusters. Materials can be used for manufacturing either in their raw form, or by processing them to extract the constituent elements. Processing techniques include various chemical , thermal , electrolytic , and magnetic methods for separation. In

440-473: A major component of space manufacturing. Most of the metal handling techniques used on Earth can also be adopted for space manufacturing. A few of these techniques will need significant modifications due to the microgravity environment. The production of hardened steel in space will introduce some new factors. Carbon only appears in small proportions in lunar surface materials and will need to be delivered from elsewhere. Waste materials carried by humans from

495-514: A massive scale, including megascale engineering . These future projects might potentially assemble space elevators , massive solar array farms, very high capacity spacecraft, and rotating habitats capable of sustaining populations of tens of thousands of people in Earth-like conditions. The space environment is expected to be beneficial for production of a variety of products assuming the obstacles to it can be overcome. The most significant cost

550-414: A need to collect the requisite raw materials at a minimum energy cost. The cost of space transport is directly related to the delta-v , or change in velocity required to move from the mining sites to the manufacturing plants. Bringing material to Earth orbit from bodies such as Near-Earth asteroids , Phobos , Deimos or the lunar surface requires far less delta-v than launching from Earth itself, despite

605-603: A planetary atmosphere), involving the transformation of raw or recycled materials into components, products, or infrastructure in space, where the manufacturing process is executed either by humans or automated systems by taking advantage of the unique characteristics of space. Synonyms of Space/In-space manufacturing are In-orbit manufacturing (since most production capabilities are limited to low Earth orbit ), Off-Earth manufacturing , Space-based manufacturing , Orbital manufacturing , In-situ manufacturing , In-space fabrication , In-space production , etc. In-space manufacturing

SECTION 10

#1732783568052

660-431: A sequence of electromagnets mounted in a line to accelerate a conducting material). At the materials processing facility, the incoming materials will need to be captured by some means. Maneuvering rockets attached to the load can park the content in a matching orbit. Alternatively, if the load is moving at a low delta-v relative to the destination, then it can be captured by means of a mass catcher . This could consist of

715-401: A solar crematorium . This 50 m reflector will generate temperatures of 700 °C (1,292 °F) and save 200–300 kg of firewood used per cremation. Space manufacturing#Manufacturing Space manufacturing or In-space manufacturing ( ISM in short) is the fabrication, assembly or integration of tangible goods beyond Earth's atmosphere (or more generally, outside

770-452: A vacuum chamber. As much as 20% of the sample was released as free oxygen. Eric Cardiff calls the remainder slag. This process is highly efficient in terms of imported materials used up per batch, but is not the most efficient process in energy per kilogram of oxygen. One proposed method of purifying asteroid materials is through the use of carbon monoxide (CO). Heating the material to 500 °F (260 °C) and exposing it to CO causes

825-467: A variety of manufacturing purposes. These uses include various thermal and electrical insulators, such as heat shields for payloads being delivered to the Earth's surface. Metals can be used to assemble a variety of useful products, including sealed containers (such as tanks and pipes), mirrors for focusing sunlight, and thermal radiators. The use of metals for electrical devices would require insulators for

880-462: Is a limiting factor as a source of renewable energy on Earth but could be tied to thermal energy storage systems for energy production through these periods and into the night. The solar furnace principle is being used to make inexpensive solar cookers and solar-powered barbecues , and for solar water pasteurization . A prototype Scheffler reflector is being constructed in India for use in

935-496: Is a part of the broader activity of in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing ( ISAM ) and is related to in situ resource utilization (ISRU). Three major domains of In-space manufacturing are ISM for space (space-for-space) where products remain in space, ISM for Earth (space-for-Earth) where goods with improved properties produced in outer-space microgravity are transported back to Earth, and ISM for surface where goods are produced on or sent to surfaces of celestial bodies like

990-650: Is currently investigating the possibility of printing food items in order to improve food quality, nutrient content, and variety. Airbus is developing and planning with the European Space Agency to send and test the first 3D-printer printing metals in space at the ISS in a year from 2022, and establishing space manufacturing in three to four years from 2022. There are thought to be a number of useful products that can potentially be manufactured in space and result in an economic benefit. Research and development

1045-503: Is overcoming the energy hurdle for boosting materials into orbit. Once this barrier is significantly reduced in cost per kilogram , the entry price for space manufacturing can make it much more attractive to entrepreneurs. After the heavy capitalization costs of assembling the mining and manufacturing facilities are paid, the production will need to be economically profitable in order to become self-sustaining and beneficial to society. The economic requirements of space manufacturing imply

1100-418: Is required to determine the best commodities to be produced, and to find efficient production methods. The following products are considered prospective early candidates: As the infrastructure is developed and the cost of assembly drops, some of the manufacturing capacity can be directed toward the development of expanded facilities in space, including larger scale manufacturing plants. These will likely require

1155-504: The Mont-Louis Solar Furnace is still in place at Mont-Louis. The Pyrenees were chosen as the site because the area experiences clear skies up to 300 days a year. The Odeillo Solar Furnace is a larger and more powerful solar furnace. It was built between 1962 and 1968, and started operating in 1969. It's currently the most powerful, based on an achievable temperature of 3500 °C. The Solar Furnace of Uzbekistan

SECTION 20

#1732783568052

1210-458: The Skylab , and will probably be the method of choice in space. Machining operations can require precision tools which will need to be imported from the Earth for some duration. New space manufacturing technologies are being studied at places such as Marshall's National Center for Advanced Manufacturing . The methods being investigated include coatings that can be sprayed on surfaces in space using

1265-591: The Space Shuttle , as of 2002 . In this role the shuttle served as an interim, short-duration research platform before the completion of the International Space Station . In February 1994 and September 1995, the Wake Shield Facility was carried into orbit by the Space Shuttle . This demonstration platform used the vacuum created in the orbital wake to manufacture thin films of gallium arsenide and aluminum gallium arsenide. On May 31, 2005,

1320-411: The Earth is one possible source, as are comets. The water normally used to quench steel will also be in short supply, and require strong agitation. Casting steel can be a difficult process in microgravity, requiring special heating and injection processes, or spin forming. Heating can be performed using sunlight combined with electrical heaters. The casting process would also need to be managed to avoid

1375-415: The Earth with microwaves . Other possibilities for space manufacturing include propellants for spacecraft, some repair parts for spacecraft and space habitats, and, of course, larger factories. Ultimately, space manufacturing facilities can hypothetically become nearly self-sustaining, requiring only minimal imports from the Earth. The microgravity environment allows for new possibilities in construction on

1430-406: The Earth. Moreover, raw materials of very high value, for example gold, silver, or platinum, could be transported to low Earth orbit for processing or transfer to Earth which is thought to have the potential to become economically viable. In-space manufacturing supports long-duration space missions and colonization by enabling on-site repair and infrastructure development beyond Earth. Additionally, in

1485-401: The ISS aboard Cygnus NG-10 on November 19, 2018, processes plastic feedstock through multiple printing and recycling cycles to evaluate how many times the plastic materials can be re-used in the microgravity environment before their polymers degrade to unacceptable levels. Additionally, 3D printing in space can also account for the printing of meals. NASA 's Advanced Food Technology program

1540-452: The Moon or asteroids has a very low water content, and when melted to form glassy materials is very durable. These simple, glassy solids can be used for the assembly of habitats on the surface of the Moon or elsewhere. The solar energy can be concentrated in the manufacturing area using an array of steerable mirrors . The availability and favorable physical properties of metals will make them

1595-412: The Moon, Mars, and asteroids. In-space manufacturing uses processes such as additive manufacturing (printing a 3D object in successive layers), subtractive manufacturing (making 3D objects by successively removing material from a solid), hybrid manufacturing (usually combining additive manufacturing and subtractive manufacturing) and welding (joining pieces of material by melting or plasticizing along

1650-756: The Moon, Mars, and asteroids. There are several motivating factors behind in-space manufacturing. The space environment, in particular the effects of microgravity and vacuum , enable the research of and production of goods that could otherwise not be manufactured on Earth. Secondly, the extraction and processing of raw materials from other astronomical bodies , also called In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) , could enable more sustainable space exploration missions at reduced cost compared to launching all required resources from Earth. Furthermore, raw materials could be transported to low Earth orbit where they could be processed into goods that are shipped to Earth. By replacing terrestrial production on Earth, this seeks to preserve

1705-602: The Refabricator aboard the ISS, which is intended to recycle plastic for use in space additive manufacturing. The Material Science Laboratory Electromagnetic Levitator (MSL-EML) on board the Columbus Laboratory is a science facility that can be used to study the melting and solidification properties of various materials. The Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) is used to study the behavior of liquids in microgravity. There are several unique differences between

Mont-Louis Solar Furnace - Misplaced Pages Continue

1760-455: The area of spaceflight technology, space manufacturing enhances mission safety by decentralizing manufacturing activities and establishing redundancy in critical systems, allows for customized production tailored to specific mission requirements, fostering rapid iteration and adaptation of designs, drives technological innovation in materials science, robotics, and additive manufacturing, with applications extending beyond space exploration, and lays

1815-531: The countries of the south; the city of Safi in Morocco is participating in this process. The aim is to install in villages, solar ovens that will cook pots, plates for eating bread, building materials, and melt any metal to make pots or tools. The centre gives demonstrations of its work. A guide takes visitors to the heart of the facility to explain the operation and use of the solar furnace . Applications of simple scientific and educational experiments complement

1870-439: The end use of manufactured products. In-space manufacturing for space (space-for-space) involves activities focused on in-orbit construction intended for use in space. ISM for Earth (space-for-Earth) is the production of new materials and products that exhibit enhanced properties when manufactured in microgravity, subsequently transported back to Earth. Lastly, ISM for surface extends to surface operations on celestial bodies such as

1925-623: The form of water ice or hydrated minerals from cold traps on the poles of the Moon . Unless the materials processing and the manufacturing sites are co-located with the resource extraction facilities, the raw materials would need to be moved about the Solar System . There are several proposed means of providing propulsion for this material, including solar sails , electric sails , magnetic sails , electric ion thrusters , microwave electrothermal thrusters , or mass drivers (this last method uses

1980-473: The formation of spheres from molten metal. The crew spent a total of 32 man-hours on materials science and space manufacturing investigation during the mission. The Space Studies Institute began hosting a bi-annual Space Manufacturing Conference in 1977 . Microgravity research in materials processing continued in 1983 using the Spacelab facility. This module has been carried into orbit 26 times aboard

2035-451: The formation of voids as the steel cools and shrinks. Various metal-working techniques can be used to shape the metal into the desired form. The standard methods are casting, drawing , forging , machining , rolling , and welding . Both rolling and drawing metals require heating and subsequent cooling. Forging and extrusion can require powered presses, as gravity is not available. Electron beam welding has already been demonstrated on board

2090-556: The foundation for space-based infrastructure development, supporting a wide range of commercial activities and scientific research. During the Soyuz 6 mission of 1969, Russian cosmonauts performed the first welding experiments in space. Three different welding processes were tested using a hardware unit called Vulkan. The tests included welding aluminum , titanium , and stainless steel . The Skylab mission, launched in May 1973, served as

2145-437: The large quantity of equipment and electrical energy needed to split water and liquify the resultant gases. Water used in steam rockets gives a specific impulse of about 190 seconds; less than half that of hydrogen/oxygen, but this is adequate for delta-v's that are found between Mars and Earth. Water is useful as a radiation shield and in many chemical processes. Ceramics made from lunar or asteroid soil can be employed for

2200-403: The lunar regolith , although the process is not very efficient. So a readily available source of useful volatiles is a positive factor in the development of space manufacturing. Alternatively, oxygen can be liberated from the lunar regolith without reusing any imported materials by heating the regolith to 4,530 °F (2,500 °C) in a vacuum. This was tested on Earth with lunar simulant in

2255-421: The material to be extracted at one-twentieth the cost of launching from Earth, but it would require a two-year round trip to return any mined ore. Due to speed of light constraints on communication, manufacturing in space at a distant point of resource acquisition will either require completely autonomous robotics to perform the labor, or a human crew with all the accompanying habitat and safety requirements. If

Mont-Louis Solar Furnace - Misplaced Pages Continue

2310-499: The metals to form gaseous carbonyls . This vapor can then be distilled to separate out the metal components, and the CO can then be recovered by another heating cycle. Thus an automated ship can scrape up loose surface materials from, say, the relatively nearby 4660 Nereus (in delta-v terms), process the ore using solar heating and CO, and eventually return with a load of almost pure metal. The economics of this process can potentially allow

2365-493: The near term, relatively straightforward methods can be used to extract aluminum , iron , oxygen , and silicon from lunar and asteroidal sources. Less concentrated elements will likely require more advanced processing facilities, which may have to wait until a space manufacturing infrastructure is fully developed. Some of the chemical processes will require a source of hydrogen for the production of water and acid mixtures. Hydrogen gas can also be used to extract oxygen from

2420-413: The option to manufacture needed items directly. On-demand patterns of manufacturing make long-distance space travel more feasible and self-sufficient as space excursions require less cargo. Mission safety is also improved. The Made In Space, Inc. 3D printers , which launched in 2014 to the International Space Station , are designed specifically for a zero-gravity or micro-gravity environment. The effort

2475-451: The plant is built in orbit around the Earth , or near a crewed space habitat , however, telerobotic devices can be used for certain tasks that require human intelligence and flexibility. Solar power provides a readily available power source for thermal processing. Even with heat alone, simple thermally-fused materials can be used for basic construction of stable structures. Bulk soil from

2530-474: The possibility of reaching high temperatures very quickly using highly concentrated sunlight. The goal was to melt ore and extract very pure substances to make new and more effective refractory materials . In order to do further experiments, the first solar furnace was built in Mont-Louis in the Pyrénées-Orientales in 1949. The Mont-Louis Solar Furnace is engaged in a process of technology transfer to

2585-480: The printing process. The Refabricator experiment, under development by Firmamentum, a division of Tethers Unlimited, Inc. under a NASA Phase III Small Business Innovation Research contract, combines a recycling system and a 3D printer to perform demonstration of closed-cycle in-space manufacturing on the International Space Station (ISS). The Refabricator experiment, which was delivered to

2640-447: The processing site in an economical manner, where time to arrival, propulsion energy expenditure, and extraction costs are factored into the planning process. Minerals can be obtained from asteroids , the lunar surface, or a planetary body. Volatiles could potentially be obtained from a comet , carbonaceous chondrite or "C-Type" asteroids, or the moons of Mars or other planets. It may also prove possible to extract hydrogen in

2695-433: The properties of materials in space compared to the same materials on the Earth. These differences can be exploited to produce unique or improved manufacturing techniques. For most manufacturing applications, specific material requirements must be satisfied. Mineral ores need to be refined to extract specific metals , and volatile organic compounds will need to be purified. Ideally these raw materials are delivered to

2750-550: The recoverable, uncrewed Foton-M2 laboratory was launched into orbit. Among the experiments were crystal growth and the behavior of molten-metal in weightlessness. The completion of the International Space Station has provided expanded and improved facilities for performing industrial research. These have and will continue to lead to improvements in our knowledge of materials sciences, new manufacturing techniques on Earth, and potentially some important discoveries in space manufacturing methods. NASA and Tethers Unlimited will test

2805-640: The use of lunar and asteroid materials, and so follow the development of mining bases. Rock is the simplest product, and at minimum is useful for radiation shielding. It can also be subsequently processed to extract elements for various uses. Water from lunar sources, Near Earth Asteroids or Martian moons is thought to be relatively cheap and simple to extract, and gives adequate performance for many manufacturing and material shipping purposes. Separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen can be easily performed in small scale, but some scientists believe that this will not be performed on any large scale initially due to

SECTION 50

#1732783568052

2860-547: The visit, for example: the concentration of the solar rays to produce temperatures between 2000 °C and 3500 °C, the ignition of wood, melting of metal, and ceramic cooking. The visit concludes with an overview of technologies that use solar energy: solar thermal , solar forge , solar cells , solar cookers . Solar furnace A solar furnace is a structure that uses concentrated solar power to produce high temperatures, usually for industry. Parabolic mirrors or heliostats concentrate light ( Insolation ) onto

2915-552: The wires, so a flexible insulating material such as plastic or fiberglass will be needed. A notable output of space manufacturing is expected to be solar panels. Expansive solar energy arrays can be constructed and assembled in space. As the structure does not need to support the loads that would be experienced on Earth, huge arrays can be assembled out of proportionately smaller amounts of material. The generated energy can then be used to power manufacturing facilities, habitats, spacecraft, lunar bases, and even beamed down to collectors on

2970-531: Was awarded the Phase III Small Business Innovation and Research Contract. The Additive Manufacturing Facility will be used by NASA to carry out repairs (including during emergency situations), upgrades, and installation. Made In Space lists the advantages of 3D printing as easy customization, minimal raw material waste, optimized parts, faster production time, integrated electronics, limited human interaction, and option to modify

3025-506: Was built in Uzbekistan and opened in 1981 as a part of a Soviet Union "Sun" Complex Research Facility, being the world largest concentrator. The rays are focused onto an area the size of a cooking pot and can reach 4,000 °C (7,230 °F), depending on the process installed; for example: It has been suggested that solar furnaces could be used in space to provide energy for manufacturing purposes. Their reliance on sunny weather

#51948