Lunar Geology Traverse

Kimberly Albarico

ASTE 527

Monday December 15, 2008

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

Through the Looking Glass

• Return humankind to the moon• Establish semi-permanent structures• Give back to the scientific community

– Observatories– Traverse with multiple stops for geological studies– Each phase studies additional areas

• Invaluable experience for future Mars projects

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

Lunar Geology

• Discover location of resources for ISRU

• Lunar formation• Earth and other planetary

meteorite remains– Origin of life/Astrobiology– History of planetary

formation

• Samples for lunar machinery development

South Pole Region Source: Lunar and Planetary Society

Kimberly Albarico

South Pole-Aitken Basin• Largest impact basin in the solar system• Different element concentration from the rest of the Lunar surface • Thinner crust• Mantle may be present

– Compositionally different from crust

Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

South Pole-Aitken Basin Topology Source: Lunar and Planetary Institute

South Pole-Aitken Basin Iron and Titanium Concentration Source: Lunar and Planetary Institute

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

Why Manned Exploration?

• Humans versus robots debate

• Humans have greater versatility than robots– Flexibility of tasks that can be accomplished– Maneuverability/Range of motion– On site decision-making– Ability to reason to solve unexpected problems

• No time delay from telerobotics

• Engages public interest

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 LunarSS

Traverse Phase I

• Start: Landing Zone at Mons Malapert– Prepare Rovers– Begin star-tracking

• First Stop: De Gerlache Crater

• Second Stop: Shackleton Crater– Resupply– Setup observatory

Lunar South PoleSource: Space.com

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 LunarSS Earth-set image taken by KAGUYA Source: JAXA

Kimberly Albarico

Return Route

Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

•Return trip to Mons Malapert along different route to cover additional terrain

•Third Stop: Faustini Crater•Fourth Stop: Shoemaker Crater•Fifth Stop: Malapert Crater•End: Mons Malapert

Top/Right: Shoemaker-Faustini and Shackleton Craters Source: Space.com NASA, Left (Right) South Pole Cold Traps Source: Cornell University

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 LunarSS

0. Mons Malapert

1. De Gerlache Crater

2. Shackleton Crater

3. Faustini Crater

4. Shoemaker Crater

5. Malapert Crater

Source: NASA-JPL Clementine Elevation and Slope Maps

Main Traverse PathExcursions

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

Support

• Twin rovers in case of a malfunction or accident

• Main Rover– Basic tools and drill for geological sampling– Storage for Earthbound samples– Small quarters for multi-day traverses or site

studies– Pressurized Lab for preliminary on-site testing

• CEV passes overhead approximately every 90 minutes

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

Further Studies: Phase II

• Power System Links

• Schrödinger Basin (Crater)– Setup SPIDAR

Array– Explore Lava

tubes

Above: Elevation map of South Pole-Aitken BasinLeft: Dark-halo crater located within Schrödinger Basin Source: Lunar and Planetary Institute, Clementine Images

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

Future Studies:

• Ideally the entirety of the Lunar surface will be traversed and compositionally mapped

• Heavy duty drilling operations to study deeper layers of the lower crust and mantle

• Very long traverses

• Completely equipped Mobile Lab (or permanent base) for thorough on-site testing

Kimberly AlbaricoDec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology

References• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

– KAGUYA (SELENE), Image Taking of Earth-Rise by HDTV• NASA-JPL

– NASA Views Landing Site Through Eyes of Future Moon Crew– Lunar Mission Pilot Case Studies

• NASA– Enhanced Radar Imagery of Lunar South Pole: Media Briefing, 02.27.08

• SPACE.com– Lunar South Pole Landing Sites Studied

• Lunar and Planetary Institute– Digital Lunar Orbiter Photographic Atlas of the Moon

• Planetary Science Research Discoveries. The Biggest– Hole in the Solar System, G. Jeffrey Taylor, Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology

• Innovations Report– New lunar south polar maps from SMART-1, 12.03.2008

• X Prize – Target Aitken Basin, South Pole

• Lunar Astrobiology: Potential for pre-biotic chemistry at the poles of the Moon, Lucey, Paul• Cornell News

– Radar provides first 3-D views of moon's frigid poles