Within the project, a probe for melting lunar regolith (dust) was designed. The melting is part of the process of building objects on the moon using the 3D printing process.

The probe consists of a microwave resonator connected to a needle. The resonator is powered by a low-power microwave source. Around the tip of the needle, there is a strong electric field in which heating and then vitrification of the regolith occurs, even without contact of the needle with the regolith. A matching circuit is incorporated into the resonator.

The probe was created at the customer’s location. Tests have shown that vitrification occurs several times faster than other devices supplied with the same power.