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MoonLite a UK led penetrator mission to the Moon

MoonLite a UK led penetrator mission to the Moon. Professor Alan Smith On behalf of the UK Penetrator Consortium. Kaguya. What Characterizes Penetrators ?. Low mass instrumented packages (c.f. Lunar A 13.5Kg; DS-2 3.6Kg) High impact speed ~ 300 m.s -1 Very rugged ~10kgee

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MoonLite a UK led penetrator mission to the Moon

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  1. MoonLite a UK led penetrator mission to the Moon Professor Alan Smith On behalf of the UK Penetrator Consortium Kaguya

  2. What Characterizes Penetrators ? • Low mass instrumented packages (c.f. Lunar A 13.5Kg; DS-2 3.6Kg) • High impact speed ~ 300 m.s-1 • Very rugged ~10kgee • Few metres surface penetration • Highly autonomous scientific payloads

  3. Penetrator Descent Module Design Concept • Payload • IMPACT ACCELEROMETER • Tiltmeter • SEISMOMETERS/TILTMETER • THERMAL SENSING (TEMP, CONDUCTIVITY,HEAT FLOW) • GEOCHEMISTRY(E.G. WATER/VOLATILES DETECTOR) • GROUND CAMERA (MINALOGY/ASTROBIOLOGY) • OTHER (permitivity, magnetometer, radiation monitor) • DESCENT CAMERA • Platform • S/C SUPPORT • AOCS • STRUCTURE • POWER/THERMAL • COMMS • CONTROL & DATA HANDLING DETACHABLE De-orbit and attitude control STAGE POINT OF SEPARATION • ESTIMATED PENETRATOR SIZE • LENGTH:- 480mm to 600mm (8:1 to 10:1 RATIO) • DIAMETER:- 60mm • ESTIMATED MASS 13kg SINGLE-PIECE PENETRATOR TUNGSTEN TIP ALUMINIUM CASING ALUMINIUM NOSE SECTION

  4. PROS • Cost effective especially for multiple sites. • Able to target areas which are not accessible to soft landers. • Provide ground truth for interpreting remote sensing data. • Provide direct access below the planetary surface • CONS • Can achieve key science, but low payload mass and high-gee constraints will limit capability c.f. soft landers. • Limited Communications due to finite battery life. • Surviving for long periods for e.g. seismic network will be a challenge with limited mass. (Insulation and RHU’s with primary batteries) • Have an associated impact risk • …good for pre-cursor investigations, seismic networks, and cost effective targetting of specific terrain features. • …good also as a step to exploration. PROS and CONS ?

  5. Planetary Penetrators - History No survivable high velocity impacting probe has been successfully operated on any extraterrestrial body DS2 (Mars) NASA 1999 ? Mars96 (Russia) failed to leave Earth orbit  Japanese Lunar-A cancelled (maybe now to fly on Russian Lunar Glob?)  TRL 5 Many paper studies and ground trials 

  6. Suitable Bodies for Investigation ? • Moon (MoonLITE- UK Intiative)- is closeby – ideal technical demonstrator + excellent science (polar water, deep structure, differentiation,…) • Airless -> like Europa, Enceladus - Very cold (polar traps) -> like Europa, Enceladus,Titan • Europa,Titan/Enceladus (Cosmic Vision) • Astrobiology, interior ocean(s). • Europa – very high radiation environment • - Titan has an atmosphere – different approach !!! • NEO/Asteroids- Accelerometer particularly interesting for • investigating internal structure • Etc, etc, (Mars, Venus, Mercury, Pluto, Triton, …)

  7. UK Penetrator Consortium - History • Jan 2006 – First meeting of consortium, now expanded to 8 UK institutes and 3 industries • Dec 2006 - UK Research Council commissioned report of low cost lunar missions, MoonLITE (penetrator) and MoonRaker (lander), MoonLITE given top priority. • Apr 2007 – First funding in place for penetrator trials • June 2007 – ESA Cosmic Vision proposals • LunarEx (not selected) • Jupiter-Europa (penetrator option) (passed first gate) • Saturn-Enceladus (penetrator element) (passed first gate) • July 2007 – MoonLITE considered as part of a NASA-BNSC bilateral programme • Jan 2008 – Phase A study of MoonLITE to be kicked-off

  8. Terminology • Descent Module, consisting of: • Penetrator • De-orbit (delta v ~ 1.7 km.s-1) and attitude control system • Descent Camera • The Descent Module is a spacecraft in its own right, albeit rather short lived.

  9. Feasibility • Military have been successfully firing instrumented projectiles for many years to at least comparable levels of gee forces expected.Target materials have been mostly concrete and steel but include sand and ice. • 40,000gee qualified electronics exist (re-used !) • When asked to describe the condition of a probe that had impacted 2m of concrete at 300 m.s-1 a UK expert described the device as ‘a bit scratched’!

  10. Examples of hi-gee electronic systems Designed and tested : • Communication systems • 36 GHz antenna, receiver and electronic fuze tested to 45 kgee • Dataloggers • 8 channel, 1 MHz sampling rate tested to 60 kgee • MEMS devices (accelerometers, gyros) • Tested to 50 kgee • MMIC devices • Tested to 20 kgee • TRL 6 MMIC chip tested to 20 kgee Communication system and electronic fuze tested to 45 kgee

  11. MoonLITE - Mission Description • Delivery and Communications Spacecraft(Orbiter).Deliver penetrators to ejection orbit, providepre-ejection health status, and relay communications. • Orbiter Payload: 4 Descent Probes (each containing ~13 kg penetrator + ~23 kg de-orbit and attitude control). • Landing sites: Globally spaced Far side, Polar region(s), One near an Apollo landing site for calibration. • Duration: >1 year for seismic network. Other science does not require so long (perhaps a few Lunar cycles for heat flow and volatiles much less). • Penetrator Design: Single Body for simplicity and risk avoidance. Battery powered with comprehensive power saving techniques.

  12. MoonLITE – Science The Origin and Evolution of Planetary Bodies Waterand its profound implications for life andexploration NASA Lunar Prospector

  13. Science – Polar Volatiles A suite of instruments will detect and characterise volatiles (including water) within shaded craters at both poles • Astrobiologically important • possibly remnant of the original seeding of planets by comets • may provide evidence of important cosmic-ray mediated organic synthesis • Vital to the future manned exploration of the Moon

  14. Science - Seismology A global network of seismometers will tell us: • Size and physical state of the Lunar Core • Structure of the Lunar Mantle • Thickness of the far side crust • The origin of the enigmatic shallow moon-quakes • The seismic environment at potential manned landing sites

  15. Science - Geochemistry X-ray spectroscopy at multiple, diverse sites will address: • Lunar Geophysical diversity • Ground truth for remote sensing Leicester University K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Rb, Sr, Zr XRS on Beagle-2

  16. Science – Heat Flow Heat flow measurements will be made at diverse sites, telling us: • Information about thecomposition and thermal evolution of planetary interiors • Whether the Th concentration in the PKT is a surface or mantle phenomina NASA Lunar Prospector

  17. Payload • Seismology • Water and volatile detection • Accelerometer • Heat Flow • Geochemistry/XRF • Descent camera • Mineralogy • Radiation Monitor Ion trap spectrometer (200g, 10-100amu) (Open University)

  18. A systems approach Cf. Skylark • Modular • Impact modelling validated with trials • Parallel development of payload elements and penetrator structure • Close liaison with Descent Module prime

  19. Key Technologies • Payload instruments - ruggedization • Batteries – Availability (Lunar-A, multiple US options) • Communications – Based on Beagle-2, a trailing antenna would require development • Structure material (Aluminium, carbon composite under consideration – needed for heatflow where trailing antenna is not available) • Sample acquisition • Thermal control (RHUs probably needed for polar penetrators) • AOCS (attitude control and de-orbit motor) • Spacecraft attachment and ejection mechanism

  20. Technology Issues • Power / thermal • Comms and data handling • Instrument ruggedization • Heat Flow measurement and structure material

  21. Penetrator Development Programme Phase 1: Modelling (until Jan 2008) • Key trade studies (Power, Descent, Structure material, Data flow, Thermal) • Interface & System definition • Penetrator structure modelling • Procurement strategy Phase 2: Trials (until Jan 2010) • Payload element robustness proofing • Penetrator structure trials (March 2008) • Payload selection and definition • Baseline accommodation Phase 3: EM (until Jan 2012) • Design and Qualification Phase 4: FM (until Dec 2012) • Flight build and non-destructive testing Generic A BNSC – NASA Phase-A study will begin in January 2008 and last 6-9 months Mission Specific

  22. For more information visit: http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/planetary/missions/Micro_Penetrators.phpor http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk and follow the links Or contact Alan Smith on: Alan.Smith@mssl.ucl.ac.uk

  23. MoonLITE Penetrator Descent Modules Orbiter Ground Support Equipment Penetrator delivery system Penetrator Oribiter sub-systems S/C attachment & ejection Descent camera De-orbit Motor Attitude Control System Penetrator attachment & ejection

  24. Penetrator Science Instrumentation Structure Thermal Power system Communication link Penetrator body Insulation Battery Unit Receiver Seismometer Sensors Heat flow instrument Packaging & Internal Support Regulation Transmitter RHU’s (?) Geochemistry package Antenna Data Management & Control Water/volatile package Accelerometers & Tilt Data Handling Sample Acquisition Commanding Software Other

  25. MoonLITE

  26. MoonLITE nominal Payload

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