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The paper deals with the topical issue of lunar exploration in connection with the projects to use of the Moon in the future energy. According to the latest data, the Earth's satellite is rich in helium-3, and water has been found on it in the form of ice. Lunar helium can be used as a thermonuclear fuel. Water is necessary to ensure the lunar base, and as a source for hydrogen production. These factors make the building lunar bases is actual task. The described activities require drilling operations to a depth of two to tens of meters. In order to study the internal structure of the Moon and to solve a number of scientific tasks, the paper suggests the use of reactive penetrators which are the penetrating probe-devices equipped with rocket engines solid fuel. The scientific tasks associate with the formation of wells in the lunar soil as well as delivery of the scientific equipment placed in the instrument compartment in a specified area of ground space and/or returning it to the soil surface. Based on data obtained by Russian and foreign expeditions to the Moon, the paper contains the main physical and mechanical properties of regolith. The physical characteristics of the lunar regolith are significantly different from the properties of the Earth's soil which is associated with other conditions of formation and existence of the top cover of our satellite, where there is a perfect vacuum, and water is completely absent. For example, the regolith has a high porosity and ability to seal, the adhesion and accumulation of electric charge. The high ability of particles of the lunar soil to adhesion contributes to a sharp increase of the friction forces and the power consumption needed for drilling in vacuum increases. The paper selects the nearest terrestrial analogs of lunar soil. The correct selection of model of the soil corroborates the results of the calculated and experimental depth of penetration obtained in laboratory conditions on the stand. |
