The use of reactive penetrators for movement in the lunar soil

Abstract

The possibility of using penetrators to study the subsurface layers of the moon is being considered. These devices form a borehole by compaction and can move in the ground due to both kinetic energy and thrust from a solid-fuel rocket engine. Possible options for launching such penetrators are indicated. From the way in which the launch is carried out, the depth of penetration into the regolith will be different. In particular, if the propulsion of the propulsion system is less than the static resistance, then when the penetrator is started up with a zero entry speed, movement in the lunar soil will not occur. The dependences are given allowing to calculate with sufficient accuracy the mass of the penetrator, the depth of penetration and the resulting overloads. The depth of penetration of the inertial penetrator depends on its massdimensional characteristics and the speed of entry into the soil, which is limited by the level of permissible overloads. The use of a solid fuel engine in the penetrator allows increasing the allowable speed of the penetrator entering the ground by reducing the overloads acting on it, and thereby increasing the penetration depth.