Lunar Helium-3 Mining, LLC

Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Cree Gmbh

Parata Systems, LLC

Andrew Dummer

Chris Salvino

Samuel Jason Lewis

James Lynn Davis

Vijay Gupta

Vikram Rao

David F Myers

Anthony M Badalamenti

Paul A Beatty

Lawrence R Roberts

Bryan Patrick Farnsworth

Michele Ostraat

Christopher Todd Hilliard

Richard Michelli

Dennis H Vaders

Paul G Hoertz

David J Parrish

Michael Lamvik

Jennifer Ann Mauger

Jason Cora

Lynn Margaret Soby

Mike Lamvik

Paul Kenneth Pickard

Antony Paul Van De Ven

Daniel J Pope

James McBryde

Jason Edward Taylor

P Joseph DeSena, Jr

Gauss Ho Ching So

Heidi Marie Dieringer

Heidi Dieringer Loepp

Drew F DeJarnette

Gary P Funkhouser

David Alan Calderwood

Jeffrey P Williams

Mike Walters

Randy Demuynck

Priyanka S Medida

Described is a particle filtration system that protects a gas segregation region from lunar regolith dust by using, among other filtration elements, an integrated electromagnetic and electrostatic dust repelling system. The system includes a particle intake chamber with a particle repelling screen comprising a planar array of conductive wires energized with phase-shifted alternating current to generate a time-varying magnetic field. This field repels iron-rich dust particles laterally. An ionizing element located between the particle repelling screen and the gas segregation region. The ionizing element generates one or more electron curtains that charge neutral dust particles, which are then drawn to paired conductive plates via electrostatic attraction. A final-stage ULPA mesh filter captures any remaining particles, ensuring only gas enters the gas segregation region. This design enhances dust mitigation, improves gas collection efficiency, and protects sensitive components in harsh extraterrestrial environments.

Particle repelling arrangement

Described is a particle filtration system that protects a gas segregation region from lunar regolith dust by using an electrostatic filter arrangement. An ionizing element (screen or bar, for example) generates one or more electron curtains that charge neutral dust particles, which are then drawn to paired conductive plates via electrostatic attraction. The system operates efficiently in vacuum conditions, leveraging field emission from sharp triangular apexes of the ionizing element/s to create high-density electron streams. A final-stage ULPA mesh filter captures any remaining particles, ensuring only gas enters the gas segregation region. This design enhances dust mitigation, improves gas collection efficiency, and protects sensitive components in harsh extraterrestrial environments.

Electrostatic filtration arrangement

Disclosed is a gas separation arrangement for separating and containing various types of gas received from a collection chamber. In certain embodiments, the gas separation arrangement is envisioned to assist in mining select gases from the Moon. The arrangement includes plurality of progressively chilled separation tanks that successively separate out different species of gas. The separation tanks are connected to and receive the various gas species from the collection chamber. Each separation tank can have an independent heat exchanger that maintains the respective separation tank at a temperature that selectively liquifies/precipitates out a target species of gas allowing the remaining gas to move to a successive separation tank. Ultimately, He-3 and He-4 are separated from one another to be collected, like the other gas species.

Progressively chilled gas separation tanks

Described herein are embodiments directed to a particle repelling helmet having particle mitigation system that keeps dust particles from going into the interior of the helmet. The helmet comprises a face vent that provides an unobstructed pathway between an external environment and a wearer's eyes, nose and mouth. A spacer arrangement connected to an inner side of the helmet provides a channel between the wearer's head and the inner helmet side. A fan blows air through the helmet, across the wearer's head and out the face vent and head receiving opening in the bottom of the helmet. Electrodes disposed along the edge of the face vent produce an electrostatic barrier that spans the face vent thereby further preventing charged dust from going into the helmet. The helmet can also comprise an ionizer that generates ions, which charges neutral dust particles that can be blocked by the barrier.

Dust mitigation headgear

Disclosed is a nanosecond neutron analysis and associated particle imaging system (NNA/API) and gamma ray detector arrangement (arrangement) that uses associative element detection of titanium, iron and oxygen to determine concentrations of ilmenite or other minerals in extra-terrestrial bodies associated with He-3. The arrangement is used with a mobile carrier for mapping out concentrations of likely He-3 regions on the extra-terrestrial body.

Extraterrestrial nanosecond neutron analysis and associated particle imaging

Disclosed is a gas separation arrangement for separating and containing various types of gas from a collection chamber based on their different atomic masses. The chamber is connected to an ion diverter via a valve that when open permits the various types of gas to migrate from the collection chamber to an ionizer where the gas is ionized. The ionized gas is accelerated through an ion accelerator and dispensed into an ion deflector. The ion deflector comprises a magnetic field within a channel defined by a pair of split-pole magnets. The trajectory of the ions is based on the mass of the ions, which separates the ions. Multiple collectors are positioned at different locations on an exit side of the ion deflector to receive the different ions traveling along their respective trajectories.

Ionized gas separation arrangement

Disclosed is a segregating gas arrangement that generally comprises a gas segregation chamber, at least one cooling plate in the gas segregation chamber, and a carbon adsorber in an adsorption gas capturing chamber. The gas segregation chamber has a rim that when resting atop regolith defines a first interior environment. The cooling plates are in the gas segregation chamber, wherein the cooling plates are maintained at a first temperature above 5° K, which is a condensation temperature that higher temperature condensing gases will condense. The adsorption gas capturing chamber defines a second interior environment that is in communication with the first interior environment. The carbon adsorber is in the second interior environment and is maintained at a second temperature below 3° K. The carbon adsorber is configured to capture the low temperature condensing gas.

Cryogen chamber with adsorber

Disclosed is a He-3 detector arrangement that generally comprises a mass spectrometer that has an intake funnel configured to receive (sniff out) He-3 through an intake port directly from an open environment. The intake funnel is configured to direct the He-3 into the mass spectrometer. The arrangement further comprises a heating element configured to liberate the He-3 from regolith via heat. A mobile carrier is configured to position the intake port the regolith to obtain samples of the He-3.

Locating mining sites using an open mass spectrometer

Disclosed is a He-3 detector arrangement that generally comprises a neutron shield interposed between a thermal neutron source and thermal neutron detectors all resting on a metal platform. In operation, thermal neutrons from the thermal neutron source are emitted when the He-3 detector arrangement is on or near the ground. Some of the thermal neutrons from the neutron source backscatter from the regolith to the neutron detector where a baseline count level is registered. When He-3 is present in the regolith, some of the thermal neutrons are absorbed by the He-3, which reduces the detected count rate. When integrated with a rover, the He-3 detector is moved from place to place with the count rates at each location compared. In this manner, higher and lower levels of He-3 in the regolith can be mapped indicating target regions for mining the He-3.

Locating mining sites using neutron detection

The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that is capable of providing white light over an extended range of correlated color temperatures.

Lighting fixture providing variable CCT

Solder pads, systems, and related methods are provided. A first or second pad include at least one shape for increasing a number of edges available to align at least one part to be soldered thereto. Each solder pad can occupy a same surface area of the substrate. A plurality of circuit elements can be provided over the plurality of solder pads, where some of the circuit elements occupy different surface areas of the substrate and/or the solder pad. A method of providing a solder pad includes providing a substrate, providing a solder pad over the substrate, and providing at least one shape in the solder pad for increasing a number of edges available to align at least one part to be soldered thereto. The pads can attach for example to a surface-mount ceramic component, a submount-free component, a leadframe component and/or a chip on board component.

Solder pads, methods, and systems for circuitry components

Digitally controlled driver for lighting fixture

A lighting fixture with a control system, a light source, and an image sensor is disclosed. The image sensor is configured to capture an image in response to an image capture signal. The light source emits light in response to a drive signal. The control system provides the drive signal to control the light emitted by the light source, and when an image needs to be captured, provides the image capture signal. When capturing an image, the control system may coordinate the drive signal and the image capture signal so that the image sensor captures the image when the light source is emitting light, if light is needed or desired. The control system may control the drive signal to control the light emitted by the light source or control other lighting fixtures in the lighting network based, at least in part, on information derived from one or more captured images.

Lighting fixture with image sensor

Sealant compositions comprising: a wellbore treatment fluid; a set modifier; and, a polymeric component that inhibits release of the set modifier; wherein exposure to ionizing radiation causes degradation of the polymeric component resulting in release of the set modifier and an increase in the mechanical strength of the sealant composition.

Radiation-induced triggering for set-on-command sealant compositions

Growing community of inventors

Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

Andrew Dummer