Microwave AeroGel Volatile Collector (MAGVC)

During my second summer internship at NASA, I worked on The Microwave AeroGel Volatile Collector (MAGVC) project. This is a project focused on developing a volatile extraction system that uses microwave radiation to heat lunar regolith, causing water trapped within to sublimate and be collected. The system combines a microwave source (magnetron), an aerogel-insulated dome-shaped chamber, a volatile storage unit, and an autonomous operating system to enable efficient water recovery in the harsh conditions of the lunar surface.

One component of the project involved developing the Rapid-Microwave Exposure Chamber (R-MEC) to evaluate the efficiency of extracting water from lunar regolith using microwaves (right). The R-MEC employs a vacuum chamber to replicate lunar conditions, with simulated lunar regolith hydrated with water and contained in a quartz tube—transparent to microwaves—to allow heating without interference. A cold finger is used to condense and capture the sublimated water vapor for measurement.