Extraterrestrial soil improvement methods as space improvement techniques and a method for geopolymer or cement production in an extraterrestrial environment

A method for production of geopolymer or cementation material in an extraterrestrial object environment, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing in-situ raw material,
• b) mixing the raw material with an alkaline solution to create geopolymer or with a binder composition to form a cementitious material,
• c) curing the resulting mixture at the temperature in range of 5-30°C for 1-100 h to achieve the desired mechanical properties of the mixture,
• wherein at least one of the steps a) to c) is performed by a robot.

A method for extraterrestrial soil improvement using physical modification of the soil, involving at least one of the following operations:

• a) inserting stone columns of compacted regolith into the extraterrestrial soil;
• b) injecting a low-mobility grout into the extraterrestrial soil;
• c) inserting a vibrating probe into the extraterrestrial soil to compact the regolith and create columns of dense material;
• d) installing vertical drains to provide pathways for trapped gases and moisture to escape;
• e) circulating a coolant through pipes embedded in the extraterrestrial soil to freeze and stabilize it;
• f) excavating weak or unsuitable extraterrestrial soils and replacing it with stronger, more stable material;
• g) using vibrating probes to compact the extraterrestrial soil,
• wherein the choice of operations a) to g) to use for extraterrestrial soil improvement is made depending on the mechanical properties of the target soil improvement area and wherein the method involves using a robot.