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Lunar Geology Traverse

http://www.marcusmoon2022.org/

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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

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Lunar Geology

Lunar Geology

Discover location of

resources for ISRU

Lunar formation

Earth and otherplanetary meteorite

remains

Origin of life/Astrobiology

History of planetaryformation

Samples for lunar

machinery developmentSouth Pole Region Source: Lunar and Planetary Society

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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

Lunar Geology

South Pole-

Aitken

Basin

Topology

Source:

Lunar and

Planetary

Institute

South Pole-

Aitken BasinIron and

Titanium

Concentration

Source: Lunar

and Planetary

Institute

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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

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LunarSS

Traverse Phase I

Start: Landing Zoneat 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

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LunarSSEarth-set image taken by KAGUYA Source: JAXA

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Return Route

Lunar Geology

Return trip to Mons Malapert along

different route to cover additional

terrain

Third Stop: Faustini Crater

Fourth Stop: Shoemaker CraterFifth 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

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LunarSS

0. Mons Malapert

1. De Gerlache Crater2. Shackleton Crater

3. Faustini Crater

4. Shoemaker Crater

5. Malapert Crater

Source: NASA-JPL

Clementine Elevation and

Slope Maps

Main Traverse Path

Excursions

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Lunar Geology

Support

Twin rovers in case of a malfunction oraccident

Main Rover

Basic tools and drill for geological sampling

Storage for Earthbound samples

Small quarters for multi-day traverses or sitestudies

Pressurized Lab for preliminary on-site testing

CEV passes overhead approximatelyevery 90 minutes

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Lunar Geology

Further Studies: Phase II

Power System

Links

Schrdinger Basin

(Crater) SetupSPIDAR Array

Explore

Lava tubes

Above: Elevation map of South Pole-Aitken Basin

Left:Dark-halo crater located within Schrdinger Basin

Source: Lunar and Planetary Institute, Clementine Images

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Lunar Geology

Future Studies:

Ideally the entirety of the Lunar surface will

be traversed and compositionally mapped

Heavy duty drilling operations to studydeeper layers of the lower crust and mantle

Very long traverses

Completely equipped Mobile Lab (orpermanent base) for thorough on-site

testing

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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