US Vision of Space US Vision of Space ExplorationExploration: : LRO as a 1LRO as a 1stst stepstep

Dr. Jim GarvinDr. Jim GarvinChief ScientistChief Scientist

ILC 2005, Toronto, CanadaILC 2005, Toronto, Canada

Sept. 19, 2005Sept. 19, 2005

From a New Earth to a New Moon…

Earth MOON: S. Polar Region (Arecibo-Greenbank SARCourtesy D. Campbell, B. Campbell et al (2005)

ILC2005, Toronto

EXPLORATION Knowledge Requirements drive NASA’s Strategy

Apollo

LRO: A bridge from lunar science to human lunar exploration...

Lunar South Polar region

Arecibo-GreenbankRadar (Campbell et al. 2005)

“where we were!”

“where we are going”

11/1/2005 ILC2005 (Toronto)

Develop an understanding of the Moon in support of human exploration (hazards, topography, navigation, environs)

Biological adaptation to lunar environment (radiation, dust, delta-g,...)

Understand the current state and evolution of volatiles andother resources in local context

Focused Objectives

GEOLOGYGEOLOGY

EnvironsEnvirons

Prepare for Human Exploration

Prepare for Human Exploration

When • Where • Form • Amount

Regolith & Environments

Polar Regions

Human adaptation

RE

SO

UR

CE

S

Exploration Objectives: LRO

LRO and RLEP... in the US Vision

Classical Science

Applied Science

Research

Engin./Tech.

Demo’s

LRO (and RLEP) support all 3 aspects of integrated Exploration

LRO

& RLEP

Hypothesis driven (SMD)

Robot

ic Pre

curs

ors,

human

miss

ions Flight Demos etc.

Measurement driven (ESMD,SMD)

Engineering Capability driven

(ESMD,SOMD)

Human on-site Activities

LRO

2008 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO):

Discovering a New Moon

LRO Payload• Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) Measurement Investigation – LOLA,

provided by GSFC, will determine the global topography of the lunar surface at high resolution, measure landing site slopes and search for polar ices in shadowed regions.

– ~50m scale polar topography at <1m vertical, roughness

• Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) – LROC, provided by Northwestern University and MSSS, will acquire targeted images of the lunar surface capable of resolving small-scale features that could be landing site hazards, as well as wide-angle images at multiple wavelengths of the lunar poles to document changing illumination conditions and potential resources.

– 1000’s of 50cm/pixel images (125km2), and entire Moon at 100m in UV, Visible

• Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) – LEND, provided by the Russian Institute for Space Research, will map the flux of neutrons from the lunar surface to search for evidence of water ice and provide measurements of the space radiation environment which can be useful for future human exploration.

– Maps of H (water ice?) in upper 1m of Moon at 5km scales

• Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment – Diviner, provided by UCLA, will map the temperature of the entire lunar surface at 300 meter horizontal scales to identify cold-traps and potential ice deposits.

– 300 m scale maps of temperature, surface ice, rocks

• Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) – LAMP, provided by SWRI, will observe the entire lunar surface in the far ultraviolet. LAMP will search for surface ices and frosts in the polar regions and provide images of permanently shadowed regions illuminated only by starlight.

– Maps of frosts in permanently shadowed regions, etc.

• Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) – CRaTER, provided by BU and MIT, will investigate the effect of galactic cosmic rays on tissue-equivalent plastics as a constraint on models of biological response to background space radiation.

– Tissue equivalent response to radiation

• Mini-RF Tech Demo (mRF-TD) – provided by JHU/APL, NAWC, etc. will investigate a light-weighted egg-crate antenna coupled with an S,X-band transmitter-receiver for ranging and demonstrate a low-power, mass SAR.

– Ranging, communications, SAR for roughness and potential resources (50-150m/pxl)

LRO Schematic DesignMass ~ 1000 kg

LRO 2008

Examples of what LRO will do...

Polar Topography/shadow mapping

Resource imaging

Temperature mapping (find cold traps)

11/1/2005

LRO will identify/certify Future Human/Robotic Landing Sites...

• Maps of putative water ice via H– Search for frosts, < 100K areas– Anomalous CPR and lidar reflectivities

• Unambiguous identification of human-scale hazards with 50 cm/pixel resolution

– Rocks, pits, rilles– Small craters (and slopes)

• Topography and slopes(1-5m scale for human safety)

– Geodetic for safe, automated navigation

• Surface Temperature maps– For identifying cold traps (in 3D)

LRO (and Chandrayaan, Selene, etc) will influence 1st human sites:LRO (and other Int’l Orbiter) results will target 1st RLEP landerLRO must pave the way for decisions affecting 1st human landings...

Apollo 15 set down on the rim of a smallcrater, damaging the engine bell and tiltingat ~10° could have ended the mission!

Apollo 11 landing was nearly aborted while landing in a hazardous area.

Lunar ArmadaLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Int’l

missions are anticipated to provide key data for future robotic and human landings...

Chandrayaan-1

Smart 1

LRO

Selene

Chang’e Lunar A

CONTEXT

ILC2005, Toronto

Lunar Polar Regions at 20-40m resolution today

LRO andChandrayaan-1SAR sensorswill extendnew Earth-basedSAR of the lunarpoles...globally!

Shoemaker Crater(c/o D. Campbell et al.Arecibo-Greenbank)

LRO

A 1st StepBack to Human lunarExploration...

Approach:* New/unique Measurements* Pathfinder for resources* Establish geodetic reference* Target 1st robotic landings* Pioneer new approaches* Fast-track, cost-constrained* Provide opportunistic science* Demo’s (miniRF, Shielding)* Traceability to Requirements* Synergistic with Int’l orbiters

Subsequent Mission Planning for ESMD Precursor Missions

LRO as 1st step maximizes options...

US Vision for Space Exploration

2008 LRO

RLEP M2 (’09/’10)

NASA Driven by Human Exploration Framework (ESAS)

Discovers Resources

Visit Site

RLEP M2 ?

Precision Landings

Common Lander?

ISRU/Bio-Lab

Non-ISRU Pathway

2009

2012+

2005

Beacons ISRU Geotechnical Bio etc.

Feb ‘04

ILC2005, Toronto

RLEP M2 ~ 2010RLEP

LRO LRO2008

NASA RLEP Mission 2: S. Polar lander?

ILC2005, Toronto

• LRO will launch by 2008 to provide critically needed data to enable and to plan future Exploration objectives as a key part of the US Vision for Space Exploration

• LRO provides major exploration and scientific benefits by 2009:− Apollo provided first order information from a small region of

the Moon; much more of the Moon need to be explored− LRO objectives addresses future landing sites, polar

resources, safety, and applied lunar science goals− LRO address both science and Exploration objectives

• LRO instrument suite complements international lunar missions− Six instruments competitively selected with 1 demo

experiment added− Comparison to international missions demonstrate LRO

uniqueness and value• Synergistic with SELENE, Chandrayaan-1...

LRO Overview

ILC2005, Toronto

• Knowledge capture for human exploration

• Polar regions• Thermal• Terrain• Hazards• Resources• Shielding

RLEP M2•Benefits:•Precision Landing•Hazard Avoidance•Robotic mobility•Resource Identification•Outpost site certification•Landing Guidance•Common, reusable systems

LRO is a vital link to Human Exploration of the Moon

LRO 2008

Lunar Surface Habitat Lunar Surface Habitat

Long Duration Crew Ops(Outpost)

2009/10

• Comm infrastructure • Site Infrastructure emplacement (outpost)

By 2020

2016 2020

~2023

Enhanced M2?• Benefits (extra):• New capabilities• ISRU demo?• Scaleable systems• In Situ Resource Identification on global basis ?• Leave-behind Commrelay infrastructure

2010-11

• ISRU capability• Crew certification•Human Landing site certified

By 2016

2008

LRO2015

Human Lunar Lander Human Lunar Lander

~2018Lunar Surface

Crew Ops

or

ILC2005, Toronto

Near Term LRO Mission Milestones

Done!

Competitively Selected LRO Instruments Provide Broad Benefits

1000’s of 50 cm/pixel images (125 km2), and entire Moon at 100m in UV, Visible

Landing hazards and

some resources

LROC

~50 m scale topography at < 1 m vertical, roughness

Precision, safe navigation (3D)

LOLA

Maps of hydrogen upper 1 m of Moon at 5 km scales at Poles

Test for ice in regolith down

to 1 m

LEND

Maps of frosts in permanently

shadowed areas, etc.

Detect frosts or

“atmosphere”

LAMP

300 m scale maps of temperature, cold traps, and rocks

Surface temperatures

Diviner

Tissue equivalent response to radiation

Radiation environment

CRaTER

DeliverablesBenefitINSTRUMENT

(BU, MIT, AC)

(UCLA, JPL)

(SWRI)

(IKI Russia)

(GSFC)

(NU, MSSS)

Instrument OverviewInstrument Overview

Diviner is a build to print copy of the MRO Mars Climate Sounder (MCS)

MCS Flight Model at JPL

MCS integrated with MRO for August 2005 Launch

Diviner Measurement Overview

Diviner will make precise radiometric temperature measurements of the Lunar surface

Measurement Goals:

• Map Global Day/Night Surface Temperatures

• Characterize Thermal Environments for Habitability

• Determine Rock Abundances at Landing Sites

• Identify Potential Polar Ice Reservoirs

• Search for Near-Surface and Exposed Ice Deposits

Measurement Approach:

• 9-channel radiometer (0.3 to 200 micron wavelength range)

• 250m spatial resolution

Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP)

Alan Stern (SwRI), PIRon Black (SwRI)Dana Crider (Catholic U.)Paul Feldman (JHU)Randy Gladstone (SwRI)Kurt Retherford (SwRI)John Scherrer (SwRI)Dave Slater (SwRI)John Stone (SwRI)

LAMP Science/Measurement

LAMP will provide landform mapping (from Lyα albedos) at sub-km resolution in and around the permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) of the lunar surface.

LAMP will be used to identify and localize exposed water frost in PSRs.

LAMP will demonstrate the feasibility of using starlight and sky-glow for future surface mission applications.

LAMP will detect (or better constrain) the abundances of several atmospheric species.

LAMP is almost identical to New Horizons Alice

LAMP:5.0 kg, 4.3 W0.2º×6.0º slit

1200-1800 Å bandpass<20 Å spectral resolution

Block Diagram

A – Collimated Sensors

B – Sensors of Thermal Neutrons for Doppler Filter

C – Sensors of Thermal Neutrons

D – Sensor of Epithermal Neutrons

E – Sensor of High Energy Neutrons

A D

E

LEND Instrument Concept

LEND Measurement Goals

LOLA Measurements

LOLA Measurements

LRO Measurement Datasets

Lunar Shape, Topography

Surface Slopes

Surface Roughness

Surface Reflectance

Global Coord. System

Gravity Model

Precision Orbit, Trajectory

Radiation

Global topography X X X X X X

Hydrogen mapping

Temperature mapping

Image shadow regions X X X X X X

Water ice X X

Lander scale mapping X X X

Polar illumination X X X X

LOLA makes 3 measurements:(1) range to the surface, (2) spread of laser pulse, (3) reflectance of the surface

LOLA Key Technologies

• Laser Transmitter− DPSSL - Nd:YAG slab− 2.4 mJ at 28 Hz− Dual redundant - cold spare

• Diffractive Optic Element− Splits laser beam 5 ways− Etched fused silica with AR coating

at 1064 nm• Fiber bundle

− 5-fiber bundle co-aligned to DOE• Time-to-Digital Conversion

− TDC ASIC for fine resolution <200ps− Coarse counter implemented in

FPGA, 200 ns resolution• C&DH in FPGA

− Signal algorithm runs on 8085 core− Command & data state machine− Both in Actel FPGA

TDC MLA RMU

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC)

Team

• Mark Robinson, Northwestern Univ., PI• Eric Eliason, University of Arizona• Harald Hiesinger, Brown University• Brad Jolliff, Washington University• Mike Malin, MSSS• Alfred McEwen, University Arizona• Mike Ravine, MSSS• Peter Thomas, Cornell University• Elizabeth Turtle, University Arizona

Clementine Star Tracker Camera

LROC Measurement Objectives

• Landing site identification and certification, with unambiguous identification of meter-scale hazards

• Unambiguous mapping of permanent shadows and sunlit regions

• Meter-scale mapping of polar regions with continuous illumination

• Overlapping observations to enable derivation of meter-scale topography

• Global multispectral imaging to map ilmenite and other minerals

• Global morphology base map• Characterize regolith properties• Determine current impact hazard by re-imaging 1-2

m/pixel Apollo images

LROC Instrument Overview

WAC NAC1

NAC2 SCS

• 2 Narrow Angle Components (NACs) for Landing Site Certification

• Wide Angle Component to Monitor Polar Lighting and Map Resources

• Sequence and Compressor System

• Straightforward modifications from previous flight instruments

LROC

11/1/2005

EXAMPLE (LRO) – Surface Roughness/topography in Shadowed Areas

• LRO Measurement Objectives:– Determine the morphology and surface roughness in shadowed areas with

spatial resolution of <50 m and roughness scales of order 0.1m to 2m.

• LRO Primary Techniques:– Low orbit multi-beam Lidar Altimeter

• < 50m sampling with echo-based SHD• Other LRO methods:

– Mini-RF Tech Demo (S,X-band SAR)• Ancillary LRO Approaches:

– LAMP Far UV imaging (~ 100m)– Diviner mid-IR mapping (~300m)

• Architecture:– Supports site characterization for shadowed

landings – Possible polar/equator decision point(and fine-scale topography for siting);

Also addresses trafficability for mobile systems

11/1/2005

LRO – Surface Roughness in Shadowed Areas

• Summary:– Multi-beam Lidar and SAR can provide imaging of permanently shadowed areas

for evaluation of landing hazards and trafficability (and terminal navigation, guidance for EDL).

• Implications of not doing:– Increased landing risk and/or complexity of landing system.– Non-access to polar shadowed regions

• Could inhibit polar landings

Arecibo125m/pixel SAR(D. Campbell, et al)

S. Pole

Rim flankof ShackletonCrater (at S.Pole)

National Academy of Sciences NRC Decadal (2002) lists priorities for the MOON (all mission classes thru 2013) :

Sub-meter imaging of Apollo sites for flux validation and siting

Imaging and in situ

geochronology

Targeted Studies to

Calibrate Impact Flux

(chronology)

100m scale multispectral and 5km

scale H mapping

Orbital hyperspectral

mapping

Global Mineralogical Mapping (crustal evolution)

Crustal structure to optimize siting and

landing safety

In situ landed stations with

seismometers

Geophysical Network

(interior evolution)

Neutron and IR spectroscopy in 3D

context + UV (frosts)

Spectroscopy and mapping

from orbit

Polar Volatile

Inventory

Sub-meter scale imaging with derived

local topography

Imaging, topography (at m

scales)

Local Geologic Studies

In 3D (geol. Evolution)

Global geodetic topography at ~100m

scales (< 1 m rms)

Altimetry from orbit (with

precision orbits)

Geodetic Topography(crustal evolution)

LRO measurementsNRC approachNRC Priority Investigation

ILC2005, Toronto

LRO Spacecraft Configuration

Subsystem Mass (kg)Orbit Average

Power (W)Instrument Payload 70 88Spacecraft Bus (Dry) 454 - 484 300 - 363Propellant 396 - 583

Total: 920 - 1137 388 - 451Launch Vehicle Capability (C3 = -2.0) 1285 - 1485

LRO Flight Segment Mass & Power EstimatesRange of on-going design trades

Subsystem Mass (kg)Orbit Average

Power (W)Instrument Payload 70 88Spacecraft Bus (Dry) 454 - 484 300 - 363Propellant 396 - 583

Total: 920 - 1137 388 - 451Launch Vehicle Capability (C3 = -2.0) 1285 - 1485

LRO Flight Segment Mass & Power EstimatesRange of on-going design trades

ILC2005, Toronto

• Launch on a Delta II class rocket into a direct insertion trajectory to the moon.

• On-board propulsion system used to capture at the moon, insert into and maintain 50 +/-20 km altitude circular polar reconnaissance orbit.

• 1 year base mission• Orbiter is a 3-axis stabilized, nadir pointed

spacecraft designed to operate continuously during the primary mission.

• LRO is designed to be capable of performing an extended mission of up to 4 additional years in a low maintenance orbit.

LRO Mission OverviewFlight Plan

Solar Rotating Coordinates

Earth

Moon at encounter

Cis-lunar transfer5.1978 day transferLaunch C3 –2.07 km2/s2

1-dayLunar Orbit

Sun direction

Nominal Cis-lunar Trajectory

Cis-Lunar Transfer

12-hour orbit

6-hour orbit

100 and 50kmmission orbits

Insertion and CircularizationImpulsive ∆Vs (m/s)

1 – 344.242 – 113.063 – 383.914 – 11.455 – 12.18

ILC2005, Toronto

Altitude vs Latitude

ILC2005, Toronto

Altitude Predictions with Different Gravity Models

Magenta – GLGM2Red – LUN75ABlue – LP100K

Excellent global mineralogy for resources, science (US MMM)

Particles and Fields, etc.Particles and Fields, Farside gravity, elemental chemistry

Far UV imaging for frosts and lunar atmosphere (farside gravity from lidar)

OTHER

Indirectly (via miniSAR)Partially (AIME)Partially addressed, but frequency TBD?

High time-rate polar imaging (Imagers)

Polar illumination

Not addressed, but imaging (MS) will be included (10’s m/pixel)

Not addressed (best imaging is 10-100 m/pixel)

Not addressed: best imaging is ~10m/pixel stereo, MS imaging (10+ VISNIR bands)

Targeted, meter-scale feature detection, hazards (Imager, Lidar)

Sub-meter imaging for landing site assessment

Via contributed S-band SAR and Mineral mapping from US

Not addressedNot addressed in this mission (cf. GRS)

~25-400m scales in shadows (Imager, Lidar, NS, IR, UV)

Putative ice deposits at poles

IndirectlyNot addressedNot addressedLandform scale at 3-5K (40-300K): ~300m scale

(IR mapper)

T mapping cold traps (polar)

Addressed via contributed SAR, MMM for minerals

Limited to 100’s of km scale (H) [does not meet LRO goals]

160km scale via GRS (does not meet LRO goals)

Landform scale at 100 ppm(~10 km scale at poles) (imaging NS)

H mapping to assess ice

Not addressedNot addressed1.6 km x, y at > 20 m vertical precision (RMS)[not meet LRO goals]

10’s m x,y, with < 1m vertical precision, attn to poles (Lidar)

Geodetic topography (global)

Not addressedNot addressedNot addressedShielding expt’s with TEP (Rad Sensor)

Shielding materials

(test-beds)

Not addressedNot addressedNot addressedBiological responses to radiation (Rad Sensor)

Biological Adaptation

Possible?Limited to some energy ranges

Highly limited overlap in some narrow energy ranges

Global assessment including neutrons, GCR (imaging NS, Rad Sensor)

Radiation Environment

Chandrayaan(ISRO 2007 launch)

[100+ km orbit]

SMART-1 (ESA lunar 2005 orbiter)

[250km periapsis]

SELENE (JAXA orbiter ~ 2007)

[100km orbit, 1 yr]

2008 NASA LRO[50km orbit, 1 yr+]Competed Payload

Reqt’s for LRO(from NASA ORDT, and ESMD RLEP Reqt’s 9/05; NRC Decadal, 2002)

ILC2005

Comparison to International Systems Demonstrate Uniqueness and Value

ILC2005, Toronto

LRO Status Report Summary

LRO completely addresses the majority of the National Academy of Sciences (NRC, 2002) scientific priorities for the Moon (that can be addressed from orbit)

LRO measurement sets will resolve key unknowns about the lunar crust (3D), sources and sinks of polar volatiles (i.e, the lunar “water” cycle”), and history of its earliest crustLRO will enable scientific discoveries about regions of the Moon (e.g. polar regions) not explored with Apollo (i.e., localization and inventory of water ice)LRO will put the MOON in a more complete context with respect to Earth and Mars (for Exploration)

♦ LRO fills in critical knowledge gaps of the Moon• Returning to the Moon without LRO would confine any future landing to near-side

equatorial sites where we have existing, but incomplete reconnaissance with known risk

• Reduces risks to all future landed missions (robotic and human)

• Supports timely strategic planning for future lunar operations (robotic and human).

♦ Data produced by LRO and follow-on robotic missions will reduce the cost and risk of the human lunar landing missions.

• Returning to the Moon without further robotic missions will pose additional uncertainties to future mission designs and likely result in expensive changes to the ESAS Surface Access Module and limit crew mission durations.

• Will result in lowering overall program cost by making lighter weight and more cost effective systems because of dramatically reduced environmental uncertainties, and optimized navigation trajectories (including polar localities)

ILC2005, Toronto

LRO gets NASA back to the surface...LRO gets NASA back to the surface...LRO gets NASA back to the surface...

ILC2005, Toronto

LRO paves the way to sustained lunar presence