Abstract: Lunar soil simulants are geochemical copycats of lunar sample.They have similar chemical composition,mineralogy,particle size distribution,and engineering properties with lunar sample.Simulants of lunar rocks and soils have been developed to satisfy the requirements of a variety of scientific and engineering investigations.They are essential to meet the system requirements for lunar exploration and in support of future human activities on the Moon.Such studies include material handling,construction,excavation,and transportation.The simulants is also appropriate for research on dust control,spacesuit durability,and agriculture.
Five lunar soil simulants,JSC-1,MLS-1,MLS-2,MKS-1,FJS-1 are reviewed in the paper.Their starting materials,preparation,and characterization(chemical composition,mineralogy,particle size distribution,specific gravity,angle of internal friction,and cohesion) are also listed.
China will realize the first lunar exploration before 2007.So it is an essential and pressing task to develop lunar soil simulants series corresponding to average chemical and mineral composition of lunar sample at Apollo and Luna landing sites.The tentative ideas of developing new lunar simuants series based on geologic investigations were brought forward in the end.