Lunar Geology Traverse
Kimberly Albarico
ASTE 527
Monday December 15, 2008
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
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology Kimberly Albarico
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
South Pole Region Source: Lunar and Planetary Society
machinery development
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology 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
South Pole- South Pole-
Aitken Aitken Basin
Basin Iron and
Topology Titanium
Source: Concentration
Lunar and Source: Lunar
Planetary and Planetary
Institute Institute
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology Kimberly Albarico
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
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology Kimberly Albarico
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 Pole
Source: Space.com
Dec 15, 2008 LunarSS Kimberly Albarico
Earth-set image taken by KAGUYA Source: JAXA
Dec 15, 2008 LunarSS Kimberly Albarico
Return Route
•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
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology Kimberly Albarico
0. Mons Malapert
1. De Gerlache Crater Main Traverse Path
Excursions
2. Shackleton Crater
3. Faustini Crater
4. Shoemaker Crater
5. Malapert Crater
Source: NASA-JPL
Clementine Elevation and
Slope Maps
Dec 15, 2008 LunarSS Kimberly Albarico
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
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology Kimberly Albarico
Further Studies: Phase II
• Power System
Links
• Schrödinger Basin
(Crater)
– Setup
SPIDAR Array
– Explore
Lava tubes
Above: Elevation map of South Pole-Aitken Basin
Left: Dark-halo crater located within Schrödinger Basin
Source: Lunar and Planetary Institute, Clementine Images
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology Kimberly Albarico
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
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology Kimberly Albarico
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
Dec 15, 2008 Lunar Geology Kimberly Albarico