Lunar Robotic Strategy for Polar Exploration and Outpost Establishment
- Paper number
IAC-08.A3.2.B16
- Author
Dr. Jeffrey Plescia, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Ben Bussey, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Paul Spudis, The Lunar and Planetary Institute, United States
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Establishing a permanent lunar outpost requires detailed information for the site and the use of In Situ Resources (ISRU) to reduce the cost of operations and provide leverage for exploration to other destinations. A polar location has been proposed, driven in part by the benign thermal environment and potential for solar power in locations of permanent to near-permanent sunlight. As a precursor to an outpost it is prudent to fly robotic missions to optimize site selection and reduce risk. Such a mission set includes: lander to an illuminated area; exploration of permanently shadowed areas, and an ISRU demonstration / validation mission.
The lander mission would land at a site characterized by extended sunlight to determine the volatile content and chemical and mineralogic composition of the regolith, measure the surface electrical fields and the extent of dust transport, and validate surface lighting models (and other experiments). One of the key objectives is to understand the distribution of polar H and validate the interpretations based on orbital neutron data. If the H content of the illuminated regolith is similar to that observed in equatorial areas (<150 ppm) it would indicate that the excess H is sequestered in areas of permanent shadow; if it is significantly higher it would indicate the H is of solar wind origin and that enhanced H content does not occur in shadowed areas.
If the H is sequestered in permanent shadow, it is likely in the form of water (or other volatile species) and it would be necessary to determine the form, distribution, and concentration of those species. A rover with the capability to explore large areas of permanent shadow and obtain subsurface samples and analyze their volatile content and form would be used. Using a neutron spectrometer, the H content could be tracked between sample sites to understand its spatial distribution.
Once the polar volatiles have been characterized, an appropriate ISRU demonstration would be flown. Until an understanding of the polar volatiles is available, the cost-benefit of different approaches to ISRU can not be evaluated. The presence of water ice in permanent shadow may allow production of H and O at a relatively low energy cost compared with breaking Si-O / metal-O bonds. A demonstration must be conducted at an appropriate scale and include extraction and processing as well as storage of the H and O.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.A3.2.B16.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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