To the Moon and beyond Bremen Sep 16 2008 MSSL/UCL UK Penetrators in the Solar System MSSL/UCL UK Alan Smith on behalf of the UK Penetrator Consortium

To the Moon and beyond Bremen Sep 16 2008 MSSL/UCL UK

Penetrators in the Penetrators in the Solar SystemSolar System

MSSL/UCL UK

Alan Smithon behalf of the UK Penetrator Consortium

To Moon and beyond – Bremen 16 September 2008

and MoonLITE


What are kinetic penetrators ?

Penetrator

Point of Separation

Payload Instruments

Detachable De-orbit Stage

PDS (Penetrator

Delivery System)

Instrumented projectiles

Survive high impact speed

Penetrate surface ~ few metres

An alternative to softlanders

Low mass/lower cost=> multi-site deployment


Challenges...

impact survivalimpact survival communicationscommunications power/lifetime/coldpower/lifetime/cold deliverydelivery fundingfunding


Mars96 (Russia) failed to leave Earth orbit

DS2 (Mars) NASA 1999 ?

‘No survivable high velocity impacting probe has been successfully landed on any extraterrestrial body’

Japanese Lunar-A cancelled (now planned to fly on Russian Lunar Glob)

History


Payload (2kg) Science Capability

Micro seismometers sub-surface ocean, inner body structure(astrobiology, geophysics)

Chemistry package (mass spec.) organics and inorganics (astrobiology)

Soil/environment package (accelerometers, thermometer, dielectric constant, radiation monitor, magnetometer, pH, Redox)

soil mechanical properties, thermal & electrical properties (astrobiology /geophysics)

Mineralogy/astrobiology camera Soil properties/astrobiology

payload instruments

Micro-PenetratorsMicro-Penetrators


Prime Planetary Targets

Moon

Europa

EnceladusTitan


10Km

Europa Subsurface Ocean


EnceladusEnceladus

500Km dia. (c.f. with UK) Fierce south pole plume (ice/dust) Hi-albedo covering Saturnian moons ? ‘Atmosphere’ (H2O,N2,CO2,CH4) Liquid water under surface (life ?)

(image from Wikipedia)


A ComparisonA ComparisonMoonMoon EnceladusEnceladusEuropaEuropa

Orbital velocity 1.68 1.43 0.17Orbital velocity 1.68 1.43 0.17at surface (km/s) (3.7 to reach orbit)at surface (km/s) (3.7 to reach orbit)

Radiation Radiation kRads MRads 10s KRads kRads MRads 10s KRads

Surface 50-100K/250K 100K 70KSurface 50-100K/250K 100K 70Ktemperaturetemperature


TitanTitan

Titan as seen from the Cassini–Huygens spacecraft. WikipediaWikipedia

DunesDunes

Fluvial plainFluvial plain

heavy atmosphereheavy atmosphere mountains,mountains, dunesdunes lakeslakes weather weather windswinds clouds clouds precipitationprecipitation seasonsseasons complex organic complex organic

chemistrychemistry very cold very cold pre-biotic pre-biotic

chemisty ?chemisty ? life ?life ?


Terminal VelocityTerminal Velocity

Assuming:Assuming:– 10kg, 12cm diam, Drag coefficient 0.210kg, 12cm diam, Drag coefficient 0.2

VenusVenus 34 m/s 34 m/s Mars Mars 1310 m/s1310 m/s TitanTitan 48 m/s 48 m/s EarthEarth 267 m/s 267 m/s

PDS => Atmospheric braking


“The Origin and Evolution of Planetary Bodies”

“Water and its profound implications for life andexploration”

MoonLITE Science & Exploration Objectives

“Ground truth & support for future human lunar missions”


MoonLITE Mission

Delivery and Comms Spacecraft (Orbiter).

Payload: 4 penetrator descent probes

Landing sites: Globally spaced - far side - polar region(s) - one near an Apollo landing site for calibration

Duration: >1 year for seismic network.

3

2

1

4

Far side

Polar commsorbiter


Development Program

Studies Simulation & Modelling Impact Trials

– build a real penetrator– impact it into a sand target at

near supersonic speed !


Impact Trial - ObjectivesImpact Trial - Objectives

Demonstrate survivability of penetrator shell, Demonstrate survivability of penetrator shell, accelerometers and power system.accelerometers and power system.

Assess impact on penetrator subsystems and instruments.Assess impact on penetrator subsystems and instruments. Determine internal acceleration environmentDetermine internal acceleration environment

at different positions within penetrator. at different positions within penetrator. Extend predictive modelling to new impact and penetrator Extend predictive modelling to new impact and penetrator

materials.materials. Assess alternative packing methods.Assess alternative packing methods. Assess interconnect philosophy.Assess interconnect philosophy.


Impact Trial: 19-21 May 2008Impact Trial: 19-21 May 2008

Full-scale trial 3 Penetrators, Aluminium 300m/s impact velocity Normal Incidence Dry sand target

0.56m

13 Kg

… just 9 months from start to end. Starting from scratch in Sep’07


Impact trial - ContributorsImpact trial - Contributors


Impact trial – PayloadImpact trial – Payload

Radiation sensor

MagnetometersBatteries

Mass spectrometer

Micro-seismometers

Drill assembly

AccelerometersPowerInterconnectionProcessing

Accelerometers, ThermometerBatteries,Data logger


Trial Hardware Trial Hardware

Inners Stack


Impact Trial - ConfigurationImpact Trial - Configuration

Rocket sledRocket sled PenetratorPenetrator


TargetTarget

Dry sandDry sand 2m x2m x6m2m x2m x6m Small front entrance aperture (polythene)Small front entrance aperture (polythene)


Real-Time Impact Video


FiringFiring


1’st Firing - Results1’st Firing - Results

• Penetrator found in top of target• Glanced off a steel girder which radically changed its orientation.• Penetration: ~3.9m• Much ablation to nose and belly• Rear flare quite distorted. • Penetrator in one piece ✓

Firing parameters:• Impact velocity: 310 m/s (c.f. 300m/s nominal)• Nose-up ~8degs (c.f. 0 degs nominal)

=> worst case


11stst Firing – internal Results Firing – internal Results

Micro seismometer bay

Connecting to MSSL accelerometerand data processing bay


1’st Firing – QinetiQ 1’st Firing – QinetiQ accelerometer dataaccelerometer data

Overview: 5 kgee smoothed,~16 kgee peakhigh frequency components ~5khz

Initial impact hi-res: Tail slap peak


1’st Firing – MSSL accelerometer data1’st Firing – MSSL accelerometer data

Along axis:Along axis: Cutter: 3kgee Cutter: 3kgee Main: 10kgeeMain: 10kgee Girder: 1kgeeGirder: 1kgee

Along axis

Vertical axis

Horizontal axis

Firing Along axis

Vertical Horizontal

1’st 10 kgee 15kgee 4kgee

3’rd 11kgee 17kgee 7kgee

Peak gee forces in rear of penetrator11 kgee

15 kgee

4 kgee

GirderMain impactcutter


Firings OverviewFirings Overview All 3 firings remarkably consistent ~308-310m/s velocity, and All 3 firings remarkably consistent ~308-310m/s velocity, and

~8 degs nose up.~8 degs nose up. All 3 Penetrators survived & Payloads still operationalAll 3 Penetrators survived & Payloads still operational..

Steel nose for 3rd firing


Survival TableSurvival Table

Item Firing 1 Firing 2 Firing 3

Penetrator ✓ ✓ ✓

Q-accel sys ✓ ✓ ✓

Rad sensor ✓ not present not present

Batteries ✓ not present not present

Drill assembly ✓ not present not present

Magnetometer ✓ not present not present

Micro seismometers

not present ✓ (protected suspensions ok)

✓ (protected suspensions ok)

Mass spectrometer+ other package elements

not present ✓x pressure sensorx 3” heating element

✓x pressure sensor✓6” heating element

MSSL accel sys ✓ ✓ ✓

Triple worst case: exceed 300m/s, >8deg attack angle

No critical failures – currently all minor to unprotected bays or preliminary mountings


Impact Trial ObjectivesImpact Trial Objectives

Demonstrate survivability of penetrator body, Demonstrate survivability of penetrator body, accelerometers and power system.accelerometers and power system.

Assess impact on penetrator subsystems and instruments.Assess impact on penetrator subsystems and instruments.

Determine internal acceleration environmentDetermine internal acceleration environmentat different positions within penetrator. at different positions within penetrator.

Extend predictive modelling to new penetrator materials,Extend predictive modelling to new penetrator materials,and impact materials.and impact materials.

Assess alternative packing methods.Assess alternative packing methods.

Assess interconnect philosophy.Assess interconnect philosophy.


Next Steps & Strategy …Next Steps & Strategy …

Next trial – aiming for Sumer 09, then Spring 10.Next trial – aiming for Sumer 09, then Spring 10. Impact into closer representative lunar regolithImpact into closer representative lunar regolith => Full-up system (all operating) (TRL5)=> Full-up system (all operating) (TRL5) Transmit from targetTransmit from target

Strategy: in parallel :-Strategy: in parallel :-- MoonLITE Phase-A- MoonLITE Phase-A‾ Delta developments for icy planetsDelta developments for icy planets


- End -- End -

Penetrator website:

http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/planetary/missions/Micro_Penetrators.php

email: [email protected]

Documents

To the Moon and beyond Bremen Sep 16 2008 MSSL/UCL UK Penetrators in the Solar System MSSL/UCL UK Alan Smith on behalf of the UK Penetrator Consortium