Operation result of small hopping rover LEV-1 onboard SLIM lunar landing mission

Paper number

IAC-24,A3,IP,198,x84476

Author

Dr. Tetsuo Yoshimitsu, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Masatsugu Otsuki, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Takao Maeda, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Kent Yoshikawa, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Yasuharu Kunii, Chuo University, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Atsushi Tomiki, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Naoto Usami, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Wataru Torii, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Tomoyuki Hirose, Japan

Coauthor

Prof. Hiroaki Akiyama, Wakayama University, Japan

Year

2024

Abstract

Japan launched a lunar landing spacecraft ``SLIM” in 2023.
The spacecraft landed on the designated location the Moon surface with an accuracy of around 50 meters on January 19th 2024. The attitude of the landed spacecraft was not perfect, but it survived for several months after landed
when the solar cells of the spacecraft was Sun-shined.

The authors installed a small rover for SLIM spacecraft
in order to make a surface exploration over the Moon surface.
The rover named ``LEV-1'' has a mass of approximately 2.1 kilograms,
with a hopping capability to move around the surface.
It also has one wheel to turn around.
The hopping direction and the attitude of the rover are controlled by rotating the wheel.

The rover was deployed onto the Moon a few meters above the surface just before the spacecraft lands.
After the deployment, it made a fully autonomous exploration with no help from the mother spacecraft.
After a ballistic motion by hopping,
the attitude of the rover was recovered by rotating the wheel to put the rover upright
where the solar cells and the antenna pointed to the upward.
The next hopping action was also possible in this upright attitude.

The obtained data by the rover were directly transmitted to the Earth with no relay by the lander.
The rover has a S-band transmitter and the transmitter is switched on when the attitude of the robot is upright.
UHF transmitter was also equipped with the rover. UHF transmitter was used when the S-band transmitter was not
used and the radio was received by the amateur radio listeners all over the world.
The rover was the world-first amateur radion station on the Moon.

The rover survived for 107 minute after the deployment until the loss of the signal on the Ground.
The data transmitted to the Ground evidenced the rover hopped seven times in two hours.
This paper describes the operation result of LEV-1 rover onboard SLIM moon landing mission.

Abstract document

IAC-24,A3,IP,198,x84476.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-24,A3,IP,198,x84476.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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