Knowra Lunar regolith Lunar regolith Lunar regolith is the loose layer of dust, soil, and broken rock covering the Moon’s solid surface. It forms through impacts and space weathering and varies in depth and composition.
Lunar soil : Fine-grained lunar surface material, including dust and small rock fragments. This fine fraction is the part of regolith most often sampled and studied as soil.
Micrometeorite : A very small meteoroid that strikes a planetary surface at high speed. Tiny impacts fracture grains, melt material, and contribute to soil mixing.
In situ resource utilization : Using materials available at a destination to support exploration and settlement. Lunar regolith may supply oxygen, metals, and materials for local construction.
Apollo 11 lunar samples : Rock and soil collected by the Apollo 11 crew at Tranquility Base in 1969. These first returned samples established the composition of mare regolith.
Lunar dust : Very small particles of lunar surface material, often with sharp, irregular grains. Dust is the finest and most mobile component of the regolith.
Solar wind : A stream of charged particles flowing outward from the Sun. Solar-wind ions implant elements and alter exposed lunar grain surfaces.
Lunar construction : Building habitats and infrastructure using materials and methods suited to the lunar environment. Regolith can be compacted, sintered, or used as shielding around structures.
Apollo 17 lunar samples : Lunar rocks and soil collected by Apollo 17 in the Taurus–Littrow valley in 1972. The collection includes highland and volcanic materials, exposing local regolith diversity.
Lunar minerals : Minerals found in Moon rocks and surface material, including plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine. Mineral composition helps distinguish highland and mare regolith.
Agglutinate : A lunar soil particle made when impact melt welds mineral and rock fragments together. These particles record repeated micrometeorite impacts within mature regolith.
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