Lab Overview
The University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Laboratory for Emerging Energy Research (LEER) is a multi-disciplinary lab that explores the In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of space-based materials. We believe that researching the applications of locally derived materials on the moon and Mars will greatly benefit future space exploration and habitation. Our research focuses on several aspects of ISRU including physical material processing in reduced gravity environments, electrochemical processing and extraction of valuable elements contain in lunar and Martian regolith, and applications of regolith-based thermites for energy generation, construction, and radiation shielding. We are strongly motivated to push the boundaries of current space technologies.
We are also interested in the synthesis and reactions of novel energetic materials. We focus on developing novel sustainable reaction materials with improved combustion characteristics to replace traditional fuels that produce harmful pollutants.
The lab has several strong academic and industrial partnerships that support the work being completed towards publications and commercialization.
Research Interests:
• In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of lunar and Martian regolith
• Resource extraction from ISRU materials
• Nanothermite synthesis and applications
• Characterization of solid fuel combustion in extreme environments
Links to current activities in the news:
Lunar ISRU work: link
Scalable Lunar Infrastructure: