why look for water? humans exploring the moon will need water: –option 1: carry it there....

42

Upload: melinda-palmer

Post on 11-Jan-2016

217 views

Category:

Documents


2 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water
Page 2: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Why look for water?Why look for water?

• Humans exploring the Moon will need water:– Option 1: Carry it there.– Option 2: Use water that may be there already!

• Carrying water to the Moon will be expensive!

• Learning to “Live off the land”would make human lunar exploration easier.

• Humans exploring the Moon will need water:– Option 1: Carry it there.– Option 2: Use water that may be there already!

• Carrying water to the Moon will be expensive!

• Learning to “Live off the land”would make human lunar exploration easier.

Page 3: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Living off the landLiving off the land

• Even compared to many meteorites, the Moon is highly depleted in volatile elements and compounds, especially water.

• However, oxygen does exist within various mineral structures. Hydrogen from the solar wind can also be obtained from the lunar soil.

• Very energy intensive to obtain these key raw materials (have to heat regolith to at least 700° C).

• Life would be much easier and cheaper if we could just find H2O on the Moon.

• Even compared to many meteorites, the Moon is highly depleted in volatile elements and compounds, especially water.

• However, oxygen does exist within various mineral structures. Hydrogen from the solar wind can also be obtained from the lunar soil.

• Very energy intensive to obtain these key raw materials (have to heat regolith to at least 700° C).

• Life would be much easier and cheaper if we could just find H2O on the Moon.

Page 4: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Clementine bistatic radar - 1994Clementine bistatic radar - 1994

• Circular polarization ratio (CPR) consistent with ice crystals in the south polar regolith.

• Later ground-based studies confirmed high-CPR in some permanently-shadowed craters.

• However, Arecibo scans have also found high-CPR in some areas that are illuminated, probably due to surface roughness.

• Are we seeing ice or rough terrain in dark polar craters?

• Circular polarization ratio (CPR) consistent with ice crystals in the south polar regolith.

• Later ground-based studies confirmed high-CPR in some permanently-shadowed craters.

• However, Arecibo scans have also found high-CPR in some areas that are illuminated, probably due to surface roughness.

• Are we seeing ice or rough terrain in dark polar craters?

Page 5: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Lunar Prospector neutron spectrometer maps of the lunar poles. These low resolution data indicate elevated concentrations of

hydrogen at both poles; it does not tell us the form of the hydrogen. Map courtesy of D. Lawrence, Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Lunar Prospector neutron spectrometer maps of the lunar poles. These low resolution data indicate elevated concentrations of

hydrogen at both poles; it does not tell us the form of the hydrogen. Map courtesy of D. Lawrence, Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Hydrogen has been detected at the poles by Lunar Prospector in 1999. Is it water ice???Hydrogen has been detected at the poles by Lunar Prospector in 1999. Is it water ice???

Page 6: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Lunar Prospector Impact – July 31, 1999Lunar Prospector Impact – July 31, 1999

• South pole impact at end of mission

• Low angle (6.3°), low mass (161 kg), and low velocity (1.69 km/s) less than ideal for water ice detection.

• No water detected.

• Results not conclusive.

• South pole impact at end of mission

• Low angle (6.3°), low mass (161 kg), and low velocity (1.69 km/s) less than ideal for water ice detection.

• No water detected.

• Results not conclusive.

Page 7: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

How could there be water at the lunar poles?How could there be water at the lunar poles?

The sun never gets more then several degrees about the polar horizon, thus topography can provide “permanent” shade.

Permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) may have temperatures < -200° C (-328° F).

Over the history of the Moon, when comets or asteroids impact the Moon's surface they briefly produce a very tenuous atmosphere that quickly disperses into space.

However, PSRs could act as cold-traps. Volatile gasses that enter could condense and accumulate for billions of years.

Clementine Mosaic - South Pole

Page 8: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Where will we look?Where will we look?

Page 9: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

How can we look for water?How can we look for water?

Lunar Reconnaissance OrbiterLRO

Lunar Crater Observationand Sensing Satellite

LCROSS

Page 10: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Lunar Reconnaissance OrbiterLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

• LROC – image and map the lunar surface in unprecedented detail

• LOLA – provide precise global lunar topographic data through laser altimetry

• LAMP – remotely probe the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions

• CRaTER - characterize the global lunar radiation environment

• DIVINER – measure lunar surface temperatures

• LEND – measure neutron flux to study hydrogen concentrations in lunar soil

• LROC – image and map the lunar surface in unprecedented detail

• LOLA – provide precise global lunar topographic data through laser altimetry

• LAMP – remotely probe the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions

• CRaTER - characterize the global lunar radiation environment

• DIVINER – measure lunar surface temperatures

• LEND – measure neutron flux to study hydrogen concentrations in lunar soil

Page 11: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LRO Mission OverviewLRO Mission Overview

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

• 1 year exploration mission followed by handover to NASA science mission directorate.

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

• 1 year exploration mission followed by handover to NASA science mission directorate.

Minimum Energy Lunar Transfer

Lunar Orbit Insertion Sequence

Commissioning Phase, 30 x 216 km Altitude

Quasi-Frozen Orbit, Up to 60 Days

Polar Mapping Phase, 50 km Altitude Circular Orbit, At least 1 Year

Page 12: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LCROSS Mission ConceptLCROSS Mission Concept

• Impact the Moon at 2.5 km/sec with a Centaur upper stage and create an ejecta cloud that may reach over 10 km about the surface

• Observe the impact and ejecta with instruments that can detect water

• Impact the Moon at 2.5 km/sec with a Centaur upper stage and create an ejecta cloud that may reach over 10 km about the surface

• Observe the impact and ejecta with instruments that can detect water

Ejecta Curtain

Peter Schultz

Page 13: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Excavating with 6.5-7 billion JoulesExcavating with 6.5-7 billion Joules

• ~200 metric tons (220 tons) minimum of regolith will be excavated

• Crater estimated to have ~20-25 m diameter and ~3 depth

• Similar in size to East Crater at Apollo 11 landing site

• ~200 metric tons (220 tons) minimum of regolith will be excavated

• Crater estimated to have ~20-25 m diameter and ~3 depth

• Similar in size to East Crater at Apollo 11 landing site

Page 14: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LCROSS Mission SystemLCROSS Mission System

• Shepherding Spacecraft: guides and aims the Centaur to its target and carries all of the critical instrumentation.

• CentaurUpper Stage: provides the thrust to get us from Earth orbit to the Moon and will then be used as an impactor

• Shepherding Spacecraft: guides and aims the Centaur to its target and carries all of the critical instrumentation.

• CentaurUpper Stage: provides the thrust to get us from Earth orbit to the Moon and will then be used as an impactor

14.5 m

Page 15: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LCROSS InstrumentsLCROSS Instruments

Page 16: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Scheduled Launch: June 2009Scheduled Launch: June 2009

• Both LCROSS and LRO will share space aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle

• Launch will occur at Cape Canaveral

• Both LCROSS and LRO will share space aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle

• Launch will occur at Cape Canaveral

Page 17: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Centaur-LCROSS-LRO at TLICentaur-LCROSS-LRO at TLI

Page 18: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LRO SeparationLRO Separation

Page 19: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LCROSS Lunar Flyby: L + 5 daysLCROSS Lunar Flyby: L + 5 days

Page 20: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LCROSS Trajectory: The Long and Winding RoadLCROSS Trajectory: The Long and Winding Road

• Flyby transitions to Lunar Gravity Assist Lunar Return Orbits (LGALRO)

• Multiple LGALRO orbits about Earth (~38 day period)

• Long transit also provides time to vent any remaining fuel from Centaur

• Flyby transitions to Lunar Gravity Assist Lunar Return Orbits (LGALRO)

• Multiple LGALRO orbits about Earth (~38 day period)

• Long transit also provides time to vent any remaining fuel from Centaur

Page 21: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LCROSS Separation: Impact - 9 hrsLCROSS Separation: Impact - 9 hrs

Page 22: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Centaur ImpactCentaur Impact

Page 23: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Centaur ImpactCentaur Impact

Page 24: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Into the PlumeInto the Plume

• During the next 4 minutes, the Shepherding Spacecraft descends into the debris plume, measuring its morphology and composition, and transmitting this information back to Earth.

• The Shepherding Spacecraft then ends its mission with a second impact on the Moon

• During the next 4 minutes, the Shepherding Spacecraft descends into the debris plume, measuring its morphology and composition, and transmitting this information back to Earth.

• The Shepherding Spacecraft then ends its mission with a second impact on the Moon

Page 25: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Impact Observation Campaign

Page 26: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

We believe reasonable grade amateur telescopes may be able to witness the impact plume.

This is an exciting mission!

www.amateurastronomy.org

Page 27: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Student Telemetry ProgramStudent Telemetry Program

• GAVRT – Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope run by Lewis Center for Educational Research

• 34m DSS-12 &DSS-13 dishes

• Used by thousands

of K-12 students

around the world

• GAVRT – Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope run by Lewis Center for Educational Research

• 34m DSS-12 &DSS-13 dishes

• Used by thousands

of K-12 students

around the world

Page 28: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Student Telemetry ProgramStudent Telemetry Program

• Monitor spacecraft omni during LGALRO transit

• Conduct Doppler studies en route

• Monitor medium gain transmissions during terminal approach and determine time of LOS

• Outstanding partnership opportunity for other mission post LCROSS, including LRO!

• Monitor spacecraft omni during LGALRO transit

• Conduct Doppler studies en route

• Monitor medium gain transmissions during terminal approach and determine time of LOS

• Outstanding partnership opportunity for other mission post LCROSS, including LRO!

Page 29: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Timing is everything!Timing is everything!

• LCROSS mission in 2009 corresponds with International Year of Astronomy

• Also corresponds with International Polar Year. (Note: NASA’s IPY focus is on 6 poles – those of the Earth, Moon, and Mars)

• Also corresponds with 50th anniversary of NASA

• LCROSS mission in 2009 corresponds with International Year of Astronomy

• Also corresponds with International Polar Year. (Note: NASA’s IPY focus is on 6 poles – those of the Earth, Moon, and Mars)

• Also corresponds with 50th anniversary of NASA

Page 30: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LRO/LCROSS Launch PreviewLRO/LCROSS

Launch Preview

How

Where

When

How

Where

When

Page 31: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

• We will use the Atlas V Launch Vehicle• Latest version in the Atlas family of

boosters• Early Atlas boosters were used for manned

Mercury missions 1962-63• Atlas V has become a mainstay of U.S.

satellite launches• NASA has used Atlas V to launch MRO to

Mars in 2004 and New Horizons to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt in 2006

• We will use the Atlas V Launch Vehicle• Latest version in the Atlas family of

boosters• Early Atlas boosters were used for manned

Mercury missions 1962-63• Atlas V has become a mainstay of U.S.

satellite launches• NASA has used Atlas V to launch MRO to

Mars in 2004 and New Horizons to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt in 2006

How?

Page 32: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

• We will launch from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral

• Helios probes to the Sun• Viking probes to Mars• Voyager planetary flyby and

deep space probes• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter• New Horizons spacecraft to

Pluto and Kuiper Belt

• We will launch from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral

• Helios probes to the Sun• Viking probes to Mars• Voyager planetary flyby and

deep space probes• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter• New Horizons spacecraft to

Pluto and Kuiper Belt

Where?

Page 33: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Atlas V first stage arrived by cargo aircraft

Page 34: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Vertical Integration Facility

Page 35: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

What’s going to happen?What’s going to happen?

First stage delivered to VIF

Page 36: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

First stage lifted into VIF

Page 37: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

First stage lifted into VIF

Page 38: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Centaur stacked on first stage

Page 39: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

LRO and LCROSS will be stacked onto Centaur

Page 40: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

Mobile Launch Platform will transport spacecraft from VIF to pad

Page 41: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

When?When?

• LRO/LCROSS scheduled for June launch

• Currently looking at an early October impact for LCROSS

• Impact is currently targeting South Pole of the Moon

• LRO/LCROSS scheduled for June launch

• Currently looking at an early October impact for LCROSS

• Impact is currently targeting South Pole of the Moon

Page 42: Why look for water? Humans exploring the Moon will need water: –Option 1: Carry it there. –Option 2: Use water that may be there already! Carrying water

QuestionsQuestions