In recent years, remote sensing and samples returned from lunar missions have repeatedly provided evidence that there is water on Earth's seemingly bone-dry satellite. However, since there have been no direct on-site investigations to date, the nature of lunar water is not yet sufficiently understood. Fundamental questions about its origin, form and distribution are still open. The VOLARIS project, short for "Volatile dynamics and regolith interactions on solar system bodies", aims to answer these questions using a novel modeling and experimental approach.
The focus of the research is on the combined physical, chemical and thermal processes that determine the dynamic behavior of volatile water on the moon. These investigations are relevant for a variety of molecules and noble gases and can advance the understanding of the dynamics of volatile substances on celestial bodies without an atmosphere. The findings are also crucial for future astronautical and robotic missions, because water is not only a foodstuff, but can also be used as rocket fuel through electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen.
Philipp Reiss studied aerospace engineering at Bremen University of Applied Sciences and TUM. There he received his doctorate in the field of lunar exploration in 2018 and took over the management of the associated research group as a postdoc. He then moved to the European Space Agency ESA in the Netherlands to oversee the development of scientific instruments for lunar missions. Since 2022, Philipp Reiss has been Professor for Lunar and Planetary Exploration at TUM and a scientist at the ORIGINS Cluster of Excellence.
ERC Press Release
TUM Press Release
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Philipp Reiß
Technical University Munich / Excellence Cluster ORIGINS
email: p.reiss(at)tum.de
