lunar geology traverse kimberly albarico aste 527 monday december 15, 2008
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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 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