Modeling Effects of Chemical Explosives for Excavation on Moon

Twelve model tests of chemical explosives (1 g and 0.25 g) of PETN were conducted at 1 g (=6g [moon]) and 10 g (=60g [moon]) using the geotechnical centrifuge to determine the effect of chemical explosives on cratering and loosening a compacted lunar simulant prior to excavation. Even small depths of burial of the explosives were found to increase markedly the volume and lip of resulting apparent craters; optimum depths of burial were not pinpointed. Volumes of craters from PETN charges of different weights but equal depths of burial, were related as V=kW084 when charges were fully buried, but not for surface tangent charges. Tests conducted at 1 g and 10 g showed no detectable difference in crater volumes for the depths of burial tested. Constraints to extrapolating the research to the lunar surface (using simulant rather than actual lunar soil; working in earth's atmosphere rather than in a vacuum; and working at greater than 1 g [moon]) are acknowledged.