Planetary Simulant Database
Free Resource for Regolith Simulant Information
Mineralogy
These are the components used for OPRL2N/L2W.
| Component | Wt. % |
|---|---|
| Basalt | 90 |
| Anorthosite | 10 |
A more detailed breakdown of the mineralogy is pending for OPR simulants; The average composition for the Shawmere Anorthosite component is:
| Mineral | Vol. % |
|---|---|
| Plagioclase | 97.14 |
| Orthoclase | 1.02 |
| Diopside | 0.18 |
| Hypersthene | 0.41 |
| Olivine | 1.11 |
| Ilmenite | 0.06 |
| Magnetite | 0.07 |
| Apatite | 0.02 |
| Total | 100.01 |
Bulk Chemistry
Bulk chemistry is pending for OPR simulants; The estimated composition for the basalt component is:
| Oxide | Estimated wt. % |
|---|---|
| SiO2 | 47.71 |
| Al2O3 | 15.02 |
| CaO | 10.42 |
| MgO | 9.01 |
| FeO | 7.35 |
| Fe2O3 | 3.44 |
| Na2O | 2.70 |
| TiO2 | 1.59 |
| K2O | 0.82 |
| P2O5 | 0.66 |
| MnO | 0.18 |
| Cr2O3 | 0.04 |
| Total | 99.65 |
Reference: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/strategies/jsc_lunar_simulant.pdf?q=jsc
The average composition for the Shawmere Anorthosite component is:
| Oxide | Wt. % |
|---|---|
| SiO2 | 48.28 |
| TiO2 | 0.05 |
| Al2O3 | 32.01 |
| Fe2O3 | 0.09 |
| FeO | 1.34 |
| MnO | 0.01 |
| MgO | 0.22 |
| CaO | 15.43 |
| Na2O | 2.38 |
| K2O | 0.16 |
| P2O5 | 0.01 |
| LOI | 0.39 |
| Total | 100.24 |
Off Planet Research OPRL2N/L2W Lunar Mare Simulant
Simulant Name: OPRL2N/L2W Lunar Mare Simulant
Availability: Available
Fidelity: Enhanced
Developed By: Off Planet Research, LLC
Available From: Off Planet Research, LLC
Publications: N/A
The OPRL series was developed by Off Planet Research, LLC in the mid 2010s as a general use lunar Mare simulant. OPR’s lunar Mare simulants are made from a combination of basalt from the San Francisco formation and Shawmere anorthosite. These materials were crushed to achieve a particle size distribution similar to Apollo 17 regolith samples. Emphasize has been placed on the particle morphology in order to ensure the abrasiveness of the material and mechanical properties of the simulant are representative of lunar regolith.
The L2N version is representative of the lunar Mare regions.
The L2W version is the same as the L2N simulant but also includes agglutinate microstructures.
Because OPR crushes their material using specialized equipment, custom Mare regolith simulants can be developed based on known landing site compositions and particle size distributions.
OPR simulants are currently available.
Images
Photograph of OPRL2N from Off Planet Research
Photograph of OPRL2N from Off Planet Research
SEM Photograph of a OPR Mare Agglutinate taken by Carol Kiely