ON-ORBIT CRYO-CENTRIFUGE PROTOTYPE FOR ADVANCING THE LUNAR ARK CONCEPT

A critical step in developing the Lunar Ark Concept is to identify and develop components technologies and reduce mission risk. In addition, we wish to recreate the unique cryogenic conditions under lunar gravity. With that purpose in mind, we propose developing a rotating centrifuge laboratory that simulates lunar gravity and allows for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) testing. To establish the fundamentals of this technology, we present a rotating mechanism that spins at 28 rpm. However, the payload will be attached to the ISS, and no momentum can be transmitted. Therefore, we plan to use a reaction wheel rotating in the opposite direction to overcome that problem. The reaction wheel is selected provided that mass and volume are optimized. In addition, we compare two simulations on a digital controller and contrast results with an actual prototype. In this simulation, we can appreciate the difference between the desired angular speed and the actual one, the torque required, and the power needed. Furthermore, this system will be tested in a vacuum chamber. This testing procedure would leave the system at TRL 6 with just a temperature test remaining to achieve TRL 7.