• Title/Summary/Keyword: Exploration of space resources

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Characteristics of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) at Space Environment for Space Resources Exploration (우주 자원 탐사를 위한 레이저 유도 플라즈마 분광분석법의 우주 환경에서의 특성 분석)

  • Choi, Soo-Jin;Yoh, Jai-Ick
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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    • v.40 no.4
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    • pp.346-353
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    • 2012
  • The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has great advantages as an analytical technique, namely real-time analysis without sample preparation, ideal for mobile chemical sensor for space exploration. The LIBS plasma characteristics are strongly dependent on the surrounding pressure. In this study, seven types of target (C, Ti, Ni, Cu, Sn, Al, Zn) were investigated for their elemental lifetime. The target was located in vacuum chamber which has the pressure range of 760 to $10^{-5}$ torr. As the pressure is decreased, the elemental lifetimes of carbon and titanium declined, while all other targets showed increased lifetimes until reaching 1 torr and declined with continued pressure decrease. The boiling point and electronegativity amongst the physicochemical properties of the samples are used to explain this peculiarity.

3D gravity inversion with Euler deconvolution as a priori information (오일러 디컨벌루션을 사전정보로 이용한 3 차원 중력 역산)

  • Rim, Hyoung-Rae;Park, Yeong-Sue;Lim, Mu-Taek;Koo, Sung-Bon;Kwon, Byung-Doo
    • Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.44-49
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    • 2007
  • It is difficult to obtain high-resolution images by 3D gravity inversion, because the problem is extremely underdetermined - there are too many model parameters. In order to reduce the number of model parameters we propose a 3D gravity inversion scheme utilising Euler deconvolution as a priori information. The essential point of this scheme is the reduction of the nonuniqueness of solutions by restricting the inversion space with the help of Euler deconvolution. We carry out a systematic exploration of the growing body process, but only in the restricted space within a certain radius of the Euler solutions. We have tested our method with synthetic gravity data, and also applied it to a real dataset, to delineate underground cavities in a limestone area. We found that we obtained a more reasonable subsurface density image by means of this combination between the Euler solution and the inversion process.

Trend Analysis of Lunar Exploration Missions for Lunar Base Construction (달 기지 건설을 대비한 국내외 달 탐사 동향 분석)

  • Hong, Sungchul;Shin, Hyu-Soung
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.19 no.7
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    • pp.144-152
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    • 2018
  • Lunar exploration, which was led by the United States and the former Soviet Union, ceased in the 1970s. On the other hand, since massive lunar ice deposits and rare resources were found in 1990s, European Union, China, Japan, and India began to participate in lunar exploration to secure future lunar resource as well as to construct a lunar base. In the near future, it is expected that national space agencies and private industries will participate in the lunar exploration together. Their missions will include the exploration and sample return of lunar resources. Lunar resources have a close relationship with the lunar in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). To construct a lunar base, it is inevitable to bring huge amounts of resources from Earth. Water and oxygen, however, will need to be produced from local lunar resources and lunar terrain feature will need to be used to construct the lunar base. Therefore, in this paper, the global trends on lunar exploration and lunar construction technology are investigated and compared along with the ISRU technology to support human exploration and construct a lunar base on the Moon's surface.

Recent Developments in Space Law (우주법(宇宙法)의 최근동향(最近動向))

  • Choi, June-Sun
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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    • v.1
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    • pp.223-243
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    • 1989
  • The practical application of modern space science and technology have resulted in many actual and potential gains of mankind. These successes have conditioned and increased the need for a viable space law regime and the challenge of space has ultimately led to the formation of an international legal regime for space. Space law is no longer a primitive law. It is a modern law. Yet, in its stages of growth, it has not reached the condition of perfection. Therefore, under the existing state of thing, we could carefully say that the space law is one of the most newest fields of jurisprudence despite the fact that no one has so far defined it perfectly. However, if space law can be a true jurisprudential entity, it must be definable. In defining the space law, first of all, the grasp of it's nature iis inevitable. Although space law encompasses many tenets and facets of other legal discriplines, its principal nature is public international law, because space law affects and effects law relating intercourse among nations. Since early 1960s when mankind was first able to flight and stay in outer space, the necessity to control and administrate the space activities of human beings has growingly increased. The leading law-formulating agency to this purpose is the United Nation's ad hoc Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space("COPUOS"). COPUOS gave direction to public international space law by establishing the 1963 Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of the States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space("1963 Declaration"). The 1963 Declaration is very foundation of the five international multilateral treaties that were established successively after the 1963 Declaration. The five treaties are as follows: 1) The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space including Moon and other Celestial Bodies, 1967. 2) The Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts, and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space, 1968. 3) The Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, 1972. 4) The Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space, 1974. 5) The Agreement Governing Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies: Moon Treaty, 1979. The other face of space law is it's commercial aspect. Space is no longer the sole domination of governments. Many private enterprise have already moved directly or indirectly into space activities in the parts such as telecommunications and space manufacturing. Since space law as the public international law has already advanced in accordance with the developments of space science and technology, there left only a few areas untouched in this field of law. Therefore the possibility of rapid growth of space law is expected in the parts of commerical space law, as it is, at this time, in a nascent state. The resources of the space environment are also commercially both valuable and important since the resources include the tangible natural resources to be found on the moon and other celestial bodies. Other space-based resources are solar energy, geostationary and geosynchronous orbital positions, radio frequencies, area possibly suited to human habitations, all areas and materials lending themselves to scientific research and inquiry. Remote sensing, space manufacturing and space transportation services are also another potential areas in which commercial. endeavors of Mankind can be carried out. In this regard, space insurance is also one of the most important devices allowing mankind to proceed with commercial space venture. Thus, knowlege of how space insurance came into existence and what it covers is necessary to understand the legal issues peculiar to space law. As a conclusion the writer emphasized the international cooperation of all nations in space activities of mankind, because space commerce, by its nature, will give rise many legal issues of international scope and concern. Important national and world-community interests would be served over time through the acceptance of new international agreements relating to remote sencing, direct television broadcasting, the use of nuclear power sources in space, the regularization of the activities of space transportation systems. standards respecting contamination and pollution, and a practical boundary between outer space and air space. If space activity regulation does not move beyond the national level, the peaceful exploration of space for all mankind will not be realized. For the efficient regulation on private and governmental space activities, the creation of an international space agency, similar to the International Civil Aviation Organization but modified to meet the needs of space technology, will be required. But prior to creation of an international organization, it will be necessary to establish, at national level, the Office of Air and Space Bureau, which will administrate liscence liscence application process, safety review and sale of launch equipment, and will carry out launch service.

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X-ray Spectroscopy for Planetary Surface Analysis and Future Trend (TX-선을 이용한 행성표면 분석기술과 향후 연구동향)

  • Kim, Kyeong-Ja;Lee, Ju-Hee;Lee, Seung-Ryeol;Sim, Eun-Sup
    • The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.245-254
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    • 2010
  • Technology of surface investigation using X-ray is one of widely used technology nowadays. This technique has been numerously used for planetary surface investigations for both orbital and rover scientific instruments. Korea has a plan to send an orbiter and lander to the Moon by the early 2020s. Therefore, the time has come for Korean researchers to develop major scientific instruments and start to do research on basic research for the Moon. Because of this situation, we firstly investigate X-ray technology, which is essential as one of core techniques of planetary remote sensing from the orbit and ground. This paper presents the current status of planetary exploration using X-ray techniques and new development of worldwide X-ray technology which could be adapted for prospective planetary missions.

Space Rover Development and Domestic Technology (우주로버의 개발현황과 국내의 관련기술 현황)

  • Ahn, Seok-Min;Lee, Yung-Gyo;Kim, Sung-Phil;Kim, Tae-Sik;Moon, Sang-Man
    • Current Industrial and Technological Trends in Aerospace
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.27-34
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    • 2008
  • One of the purposes of space exploration is to be able to utilize the unlimited natural resources in the universe. For this purpose, plans for lunar and mars bases have been proposed by leading nations. In order to construct bases and search for resources, it is necessary to employ and develop rovers for surface navigation and exploration. With proper knowledge about Lunar surface, technology for lunar rover development can be established without serious obstacles, since robot technology for rover development has been well prepared in Korea. In this paper, lunar rovers and mars rovers developed and planned by other countries as well as the current status of robot technology in Korea have been analyzed.

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A Study on Space Activities and International Norms and Regulations (우주활동과 국제 우주질서에 대한 연구)

  • HWANG, Chin Young
    • Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.33-38
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    • 2022
  • In recent years, the space sector has been changing rapidly. The militarization of outer space is openly underway. On the other hand, space commercialization by private capital called "Newspace" is emerging in the U.S. Additionally, the Artemis project, a manned space moon exploration project, is being resumed 50 years after the end of the Apollo program. Eventually, the commercial use of space resources is actively being discussed. Due to the rapidly developing space technologies, the U.N. Space Treaty, enacted in 1967, has established the norms and principles of space activities. However, it may be nearing the end of its life. To confront the challenges of a new space era, Korea must engage in various legal and policy studies to meet these changes.

A Comparative Study between Space Law and the Law of the Sea (우주법과 해양법의 비교 연구)

  • Kim, Han-Taek
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.187-210
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    • 2009
  • Space law(or outer space law) and the law of the sea are branches of international law dealing with activities in geographical ares which do not or do only in part come under national sovereignty. Legal rules pertaining to the outer space and sea began to develop once activities emerged in those areas: amongst others, activities dealing with transportation, research, exploration, defense and exploitation. Naturally the law of the sea developed first, followed, early in the twentieth century, by air law, and later in the century by space law. Obviously the law of the sea, of the air and of outer space influence each other. Ideas have been borrowed from one field and applied to another. This article examines some analogies and differences between the outer space law and the law of the sea, especially from the perspective of the legal status, the exploration and exploitation of the natural resources and environment. As far as the comparisons of the legal status between the outer space and high seas are concerned the two areas are res extra commercium. The latter is res extra commercium based on both the customary international law and treaty, however, the former is different respectively according to the customary law and treaty. Under international customary law, whilst outer space constitutes res extra commercium, celestial bodies are res nullius. However as among contracting States of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, both outer space and celestial bodies are declared res extra commercium. As for the comparisons of the exploration and exploitation of natural resources between the Moon including other celestial bodies in 1979 Moon Agreement and the deep sea bed in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the both areas are the common heritage of mankind. The latter gives us very systematic models such as International Sea-bed Authority, however, the international regime for the former will be established as the exploitation of the natural resources of the celestial bodies other than the Earth is about to become feasible. Thus Moon Agreement could not impose a moratorium, but would merely permit orderly attempts to establish that such exploitation was in fact feasible and practicable, by allowing experimental beginnings and thereafter pilot operations. As Professor Carl Christol said until the parties of the Moon Agreement were able to put into operation the legal regime for the equitable sharing of benefits, they would remain free to disregard the Common Heritage of Mankind principle. Parties to one or both of the agreements would retain jurisdiction over national space activities. In so far as the comparisons of the protection of the environment between the outer space and sea is concerned the legal instruments for the latter are more systematically developed than the former. In the case of the former there are growing tendencies of concerning the environmental threats arising from space activities these days. There is no separate legal instrument to deal with those problems.

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Review of the Sintering Technologies Using In-situ Resources for Lunar Construction and Future Works (달 기지 건설을 위한 현지재료 활용 소결 기술 및 향후 과제)

  • Ryu, Geun U;Kim, Young-Jae;Shin, Hyu-Soung
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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    • v.50 no.12
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    • pp.839-856
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    • 2022
  • Over the last decade, the competition for space development has accelerated. The world's largest space agencies are aiming toward long-term lunar exploration and manned missions. For sustainable and safe lunar exploration, construction of infrastructures that include various habitats is essential. However, transporting construction materials from Earth for lunar base construction is extremely expensive. Thus, technologies for manufacturing construction materials using in-situ resources from the moon should be advanced. The sintering techniques have been actively studied using lunar soil. In this review, five sintering technologies, including radiation, solar, spark plasma, laser, and microwave sintering, for manufacturing construction materials using lunar soil are introduced, and future research is discussed.

Low-enthalpy geothermal exploration in Pohang area, Korea

  • Song Yoonho;Lee Seong Kon;Kim Hyoung Chan;Kee Weon-Seo;Park Yeong-Sue;Lim Mu-Taek;Son Jeong-Sui;Cho Seong-Jun;Lim Seong-Keun;Uchida Toshihiro;Mitsuhata Yuji;Lee Tae Jong;Lee Heuisoon
    • 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2003.11a
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    • pp.470-475
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    • 2003
  • KIGAM (Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources) launched a new project to develop the low-enthalpy geothermal water in the area showing high geothermal anomaly, north of Pohang city, for large-scale space heating from KORP (Korea Research Council of Public Science & Technology) funding. Surface geologic and geophysical surveys including Landsat TM image analysis, gravity, magnetic, Magnetotelluric (MT) and controlled-source audio-frequency MT (CSAMT) and self-potential (SP) methods have been conducted and the possible fracture zone was found that would serve as deeply connected geothermal water conduit. By the end of 2003, two test wells of 1 km depth will be drilled and various kinds of borehole survey along with additional MT measurements and sample analysis will follow and then the detailed subsurface condition is to be characterized. Next step would be drilling the production well of 2 km depth and all further steps remain to be determined depending upon the results of the test well studies.

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