To the moon, ALICE

[Sam Fraser]

A new rocket propellant consisting of aluminum powder and water ice could point toward the future of space exploration

http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-amp-space/article/2009-08/fly-me-moon-water-ice

I'm not sure how nanoscale aluminum powder can be produced on the moon. And without water ice, it's a moot point, anyway. :)

[Rhyshaelkan]

Aye, far to complicated for Lunar processing when we talk of nano things.

Simple powderized aluminum will burn when mixed with oxygen. No need to waste water for this process. See my "AlLOX" thread. Studies have already shown no need for "nano" processing.

Truth be told they have experimented with powdered magnesium and LOX fuel. But it was highly unstable, prone to shock detonation.

More re-inventing the wheel, more waste.

[Sam Fraser]

Right. It's the glamourous (but expensive) stuff like this "nanoscale" fuel that gets the media attention. I found your original link here:

http://www.forumlog.com/nanobiotechnologyspace/showthread.php?t=5

Regolith is roughly 40% oxygen and 7% aluminium, so it seems perfect for making into fuel. No lunar ice doesn't necessarily make the moon a dead end.

[Rhyshaelkan]

I wish their sensationalism would spur greater interest in Lunar exploitation. It does not seem so however.

Due to programs about the doom of the Earth. When people hear things like nanotechnology, they get the bad with the good.

All of which is moot when it comes to using powdered aluminum and oxygen as a fuel. While nano-scale aluminum particles do burn better, even rather spontaneously in oxygen. It is not required to get the particles that small.

http://www.asi.org/adb/06/09/03/02/095/al-o-propellants.html

Another great page detailing some of the benefits that can be derived from AlLOx fuel harvested from Luna.


The best part is when you are separating out the aluminum and oxygen you are left over with 'waste' silicon, iron, titanium, and magnesium. Perfect materials for building a future power sat.