Processing and optical properties of Martian regolith for solar energy applications

Year: 2026

Authors: Casu M., Orru R., Licheri R., Concas A., Cao G., Cau C., Garroni S., Dell´Oro A., Sani E.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Cagliari, Dipartimento Ingn Meccan Chim & Mat, Unita Ric, Consorzio Interuniv Nazl Sci & Tecnol Mat INSTM, Via Marengo 2, I-09123 Cagliari, Italy; Univ Cagliari, Interdept Ctr Environm Sci & Engn CINSA, Via San Giorgio 12, I-09124 Cagliari, Italy; Univ Sassari, Dipartimento Sci Chim Fis Matemat & Nat, I-07100 Sassari, Italy; Ist Nazl Astrofis INAF, Osservatorio Astrofis Arcetri, Largo E Fermi 5, I-50125 Florence, Italy; CNR, INO Ist Nazl Ott, Largo E Fermi 6, I-50125 Florence, Italy.

Abstract: In-situ exploitation of Martian resources to obtain products and services is crucial for promoting future manned missions on the planet. Along this line, the JSC-Mars-1A, and MMS regolith simulants which are representative of the wide spectrum of soils available on the Mars surface, are investigated in detail to evaluate their possible utilization for solar energy applications, when used either in powder form or after being consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). The markedly different densification behavior shown by the two simulants can be associated with their diverse compositional and structural characteristics, with the predominant amorphous constituent (about 50 wt%) in original JSC-Mars-1A observed to strongly favor powder consolidation. For this system, fully dense samples were obtained by SPS at 1000 degrees C/3min/30 MPa. Concurrently, the amorphous fraction was reduced to 16 wt%. In contrast, the highly crystalline nature of MMS (70 wt% of Andesine, only 3 wt % of the amorphous content) makes this simulant more thermally stable and less prone to be consolidated, with 97.5% dense samples produced by SPS at 1050 degrees C/3min/30 MPa. To assess the samples’ solar absorption and thermal radiation properties, optical spectra of both simulants in the range from 0.2 to 16 mu m wavelength were compared by considering pristine powders and bulk samples with different porosity and roughness characteristics. We found a significantly increased solar absorptance in the sintered samples with respect to the starting powders, even reaching the remarkable value of 0.93. The thermal emittance of ceramics was lower than that of powders for temperatures below about 300K, and superior for higher temperatures. These results have been discussed regarding the possible application of solar energy harvesting and thermal energy storage.

Journal/Review: ACTA ASTRONAUTICA

Volume: 246      Pages from: 201  to: 214

More Information: Mariano Casu performed his activity in the framework of the Ph.D. in Innovation Sciences and Technologies at the University of Cagliari, Italy. This work has been developed within the framework of the project e. INS-Ecosystem of Innovation for Next Generation Sardinia (cod. ECS 00000038) funded by the Italian Ministry for Research and Education (MUR) under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) – MISSION 4 COMPONENT 2, & quot;From research to business & quot; INVESTMENT 1.5, & quot;Creation and strengthening of Ecosystems of innovation & quot; and construction of & quot;Territorial R & D Leaders & quot;. The & quot;SMS-Space Manufacturing in-situ-Realizzazione in contesti spaziali di manufatti & quot; project (cod. ARS01_01361) , sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, Italy (Cod. CUP: B25F21001330005) , is also acknowledged. A part of this activity has been carried out within the framework of the Extended Partnership Space It Up!, Spoke 1, funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) . Contract n. 2024-5-E.0 – CUP n. I53D24000060005. Aldo Dell Oro has been supported by a grant of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics for fundamental research projects (INAF, act n. 38/2023) . The authors thank Dr. Luther Beegle (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, USA) for providing the Mojave Martian Simulant, Mr. Mauro Pucci, Mr. Marco Raffaelli and Mr. Andrea Sordini (CNR-INO) for technical assistance, Mrs. Roberta Parenti and Mrs. Antonella Alessi (CNR-INO) for administrative assistance. The technical support of MR. Giovanni Perra, Ph.D. student in Innovation Sciences and Technologies at the University of Cagliari, Italy, for performing thermal cycles, is gratefully acknowledged.
KeyWords: Space resources; ISRU; Martian regolith simulants; SPS; Optical properties; Solar absorber
DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.03.043