Interlocking pavers may work, really depends on lander designer. Using small landing/takeoff thrusters high up on lander that are angled outward slightly will reduce force on pad. This is Xeus design approach.
What's wrong with the idea of using a tank of a liquid or slurry material and pouring it to make the pad?
Quote from: sanman on 09/21/2016 03:07 amWhat's wrong with the idea of using a tank of a liquid or slurry material and pouring it to make the pad?Which liquids you'd be pouring on the Moon?
Quote from: savuporo on 09/21/2016 05:27 amQuote from: sanman on 09/21/2016 03:07 amWhat's wrong with the idea of using a tank of a liquid or slurry material and pouring it to make the pad?Which liquids you'd be pouring on the Moon?What about some kind of hot molten material? How about some kind of silicone rubber or nitrile rubber? What about mixing it with lunar dust, holding it together as a binder?But maybe the rug/mat thing would work best - maybe some kind of chainmail-linked or wire-mesh weave made from tungsten or some other high-temperature resistant material.
I would bring a bladder filled with sawdust and then fill it with water to form pykrete..
Quote from: Impaler on 09/23/2016 12:07 amI would bring a bladder filled with sawdust and then fill it with water to form pykrete..You wouldn't need a rocket. That mix would evaporate in absolutely no time during a lunar day.
First where is the requirement that the pad be used during lunar day or at an equatorial site, most interest in the moon is focused at the poles where it's permanently cold. I'm assuming only a few uses of the pad as well as the tile based system that was experimented with is clearly not permanent either.Second you must not be familiar with mylar, it's how we keep objects in space cold, if you reflect enough sunlight the temperature of an object remains low, the moons surface is nearly pitch black that why it can reach high temperatures after 2 weeks of uninterrupted sunlight but it is no an oven that will just melt something like leaving it out on a hot day in July. Simply insulate the bottom of the pad and have a highly reflective skin on top and the pad will last long enough to be used.
Quote from: Impaler on 09/23/2016 06:06 amFirst where is the requirement that the pad be used during lunar day or at an equatorial site, most interest in the moon is focused at the poles where it's permanently cold. I'm assuming only a few uses of the pad as well as the tile based system that was experimented with is clearly not permanent either.Second you must not be familiar with mylar, it's how we keep objects in space cold, if you reflect enough sunlight the temperature of an object remains low, the moons surface is nearly pitch black that why it can reach high temperatures after 2 weeks of uninterrupted sunlight but it is no an oven that will just melt something like leaving it out on a hot day in July. Simply insulate the bottom of the pad and have a highly reflective skin on top and the pad will last long enough to be used.A Mylar covering would melt under the heat of the lander's exhaust, so it could only be used once.
The idea of a landing pad is that it can be used multiple times.
Thanks savuporo. Its pretty clear that interlocking tiles will not work. The exhaust gases will flow between the tiles and lift them up. I think you need a large interlocking vertical surface between large bricks that has to be sealed against any gas flow.