EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 An Update to MoonLITE Lunar Mission Rob Gowen, MSSL/UCL On behalf of the UK Penetrator Consortium + international support

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE - Overview A UK initiated single mission to emplace 4 penetrators widely spaced over the lunar surface to operate for 1 year   4π seismic network to enable investigation of deep lunar interior mantle/core, and location/nature of strong enigmatic surface quakes possibly dangerous to siting of lunar bases.   Geochemistry, presence of water (ISRU) and volatiles at the poles, and possible organic/astrobiological material of cometary origin.   In-situ exploration of new terrains (far side, poles)   Precursor to exploration of other solar system bodies   Impetus for UK plc   High public interest

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE - Timeline   Jan 2006 – First meeting of UK penetrator consortium, now expanded to 8 UK institutes and 3 industries   Dec UK Research Council commissioned report of low cost lunar missions, and gave MoonLITE top priority.   Apr 2007 – First funding in place for penetrator trials   Feb UK Civil Space Strategy: ‘Develop a sustainable programme, in partnership with other agencies, of low cost robotic explorers, initially focused on lunar exploration, to achieve early, high profile science goals’   Feb BNSC/NASA Joint Working Group report describes MoonLITE as ‘inspirational’ and proposes a joint JPT and Phase A study   <mid 2008 – Joint Phase A study of MoonLITE expected to begin   ~ Launch

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Mission Description  Polar Orbiter Deliver penetrators to ejection orbit. Provide pre-ejection health status, Provide relay communications.  Orbiter Payload: 4 Descent Probes Each containing kg penetrator kg de-orbit and attitude control system.  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 Far side Polar comms orbiter

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Penetrators Delivery System –Launch from spacecraft –Spin stabilise –Fire de-orbit motor –Re-orient –Separate penetrator from delivery system –impact SSTL

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE penetrators projectiles ~10-13Kg –Low mass projectiles ~10-13Kg –High impact speed ~ m/s –Very tough ~10-40kgee –Penetrate surface ~ few metres –Perform science from below surface SSTL

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Penetrator Payload/Science A nominal 2kg payload … A nominal 2kg payload …  Seismometers - Probe interior structure and seismic activity  Chemical sensors – Detect water, other volatiles (organic/astrobiologic) and refactory chemicals.  Accelerometers – Probe surface/sub-surface material (hardness/layering/homogeneity)  Thermal sensors - Determine subsurface temperatures and probe deep interior processes via heat flow.  + other instruments – e.g mineralogy camera, permittivity, XRF, radiation monitor, magnetometer  descent camera (landing site location, surface morphology, PR) Micro-seismometer Imperial College Ion trap spectrometer Open University

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008Heritage  Lunar-A and DS2 space qualified. –DS2 failed along with soft lander –Lunar-A penetrators not yet flown  Military have been successfully firing instrumented projectiles for many years with comparable impact velocities into concrete and steel.  40,000gee qualified electronics exist (and re-used).  Payload heritage: –Accelerometers, thermometers, sample drill, geophones – fully space qualified. –Seismometers (ExoMars) & chemical sensors (Rosetta) have space heritage but require impact ruggedizing. –Mineralogy camera – new but simple. When asked to describe the condition of a probe that had impacted 2m of concrete at 300 m/s a UK expert described the device as ‘a bit scratched’!

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE Technical Status Full-scale trial – Scheduled May Fire 3 penetrators at 300m/s impact velocity 0.56m

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – May08

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – May08

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – May08

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – May08

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – May08

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact Trial Objectives  Demonstrate survivability of penetrator shell, accelerometers and power system.  Determine internal acceleration environment at different positions within penetrator.  Extend and validate sophisticated modelling to new impact and penetrator materials.  Assess impact on penetrator subsystems and instruments.  Assess alternative packing methods.  Assess interconnect philosophy.

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Expected Next Steps  Mission Phase-A to start imminently, and complete by end of year.  Funds to be released for parallel instrument and subsystem technical development. (to achieve TRL level 5 within 2 years)  International peer review for science.   Major system studies (e.g. thermal, comms, descent etc); impact modelling of both regolith and instruments, underpinning future small scale & full scale impact trials.

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Trial Hardware - Status Inners Stack

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Penetrator website: MoonLITE - A focused mission with clear objectives based on a strong technology background Conclusions

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, End -

EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE - Rationale   Scientifically focussed   Precursor to future penetrator programmes   High public interest   Impetus to industry   Affordable