The Moon is a highly valued destination for human space exploration because it is close and it contains a wide array of lunar and Solar System science targets, which include resources that could be used to sustain humans on the lunar surface. These resources have the potential to enable sustainable human space exploration, develop a vibrant cislunar economy, and directly benefit society here on Earth. However, recent rhetoric about the importance and value of these resources has used the term as if we know they are reserves. An immediate and vital next step has not yet been realized to define the reserve potential of such resources, and that is designing and implementing a coordinated international lunar resource evaluation (prospecting) campaign. This paper outlines the issues that need to be addressed by such a campaign, including why it needs to be international in nature and how the coordination can be started and evolved, as well as exploring the benefits that would come from prospecting on the Moon. 

IAC-22,D3,1,14,x73338 The moon needs an international lunar resource prospecting campaign

The High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) is a pushbroom shortwave infrared (SWIR) imaging spectrometer developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, for the Lunar Trailblazer mission. The mission, a part of NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program, pairs HVM3 with University of Oxford’s Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) to determine the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the Moon, while providing a potential reconnaissance opportunity for future landed missions. The HVM3 optical design utilizes heritage from NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), and maintains a compact form while extending to longer wavelengths. Operating at F/3.4 with a spatial resolution of 70 meters per pixel and a spectral resolution of 10 nm over the 0.6 to 3.6 microns spectral range, HVM3 is optimized for the detection of volatiles to map OH, bound H2O, and water ice at the Moon, including the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). We discuss the optical specifications, optical design, alignment, and initial measured laboratory performance of the HVM3 instrument.

Optical design and performance of the Lunar Trailblazer High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3)

The Visible Mid-wave Dyson Imaging Spectrometer (VMDIS) is a JPL-developed prototype instrument whose main goal is to address three key technical challenges for the next generation of imaging spectrometers for solar system exploration: (1) High signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurements for mapping of minerals and volatiles on solar system targets including comets, asteroids, rocky moons, icy moons, and planets especially Mars; (2) Miniaturization for low-cost mission platforms (reducing the size, mass, and power requirements compared to current options); and (3) excellent spectral cross-track and spectral-spatial uniformity required by todays advanced algorithms for rigorous quantitation with uncertainties. The core of VMDIS is the imaging spectrometer instrument: an optically fast F/1.8 Dyson imaging spectrometer covering a spectral range from 600 nm to 3600 nm, with a spectral sampling of 7 nm. Different telescopes can be used with different implementations of VMDIS to tailor the IFOV and FOV of the instrument. With its prototype telescope, the instrument enables a field of view (FOV) of 28°, with an instantaneous FOV of 0.5 milliradians subtended by each 18 μm cross-track pixel. The size of the VMDIS prototype including the telescope and heritage electronics is roughly equal to 3U (3 units – 1 unit measuring approximately 10×10×10 cm), with a mass < 8 kg and payload power < 40 W. With next generation electronics in development this mass falls below 3 kg. We present an overview of the optical, mechanical, and thermal design of VMDIS, which is required to fabricate this instrument within very demanding resource allocations. The design of the signal chain electronics is also detailed. In addition, preliminary alignment, characterization, and calibration measurements, obtained with the instrument operating in relevant space-type environment, are also discussed. While tested with an available 30-μm detector array, VMDIS is designed for a 18-μm digital readout detector array. VMDIS is intended to pave the way for future low-cost, small form factor imaging spectrometers with state-of-the-art performance in terms of combination of spectral range, high throughput, exceptional uniformity, as well as configuration flexibility for both orbital and landed mission, for the next decade and beyond.

The Visible Mid-wave Dyson Imaging Spectrometer (VMDIS)

Spectral variations due to the removal of surface adsorbed H2O at 3 and 6 μm in reflectance spectra on lunar soils and relevant minerals (olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase) have been assessed. This study characterizes variations in hydration features as a function of lunar relevant surface temperatures, to further understand current (i.e., M3, HRI-IR, VIMS) and future (i.e., Lunar Trailblazer) observations of diurnal changes in surface hydration. Additionally, we explore the utility of using the 6 μm H2O feature to discern the speciation of surface hydration at 3 μm. We perform controlled temperature measurements (25–200 °C) in a Linkam THMS600 Environmental Stage fixed to a Bruker LUMOS Microscope Fourier Transform IR (μFTIR) spectrometer. We observe clear and systematic changes in the strength of the 3 μm H2O/OH feature associated with the thermal removal of adsorbed H2O, in addition to changes in the overall shape and band position of the feature in both the terrestrial and lunar samples. The strength of the 3 μm feature for the compositionally distinct and relatively brighter Apollo highland soil (62231) is stronger and more symmetric than the 3 μm feature observed for the darker mare soil (10084). While several silicate related absorption features are identified near 6 μm, neither a distinguishable hydration feature nor any changes in reflectance that could be attributed to the presence or a change in the amount of surface adsorbed H2O were observed at 6 μm. 

Variations in surface adsorbed H2O on lunar soils and relevant minerals

Infrared CMOS detector arrays are key to scientific imaging, including Earth remote sensing, astronomy, and planetary exploration. Even as more digital functions are incorporated into CMOS readout integrated circuits-first, with digital-to-analog bias generation and later, with analog-to-digital conversion of the pixel readout-external electronics are still needed to supply these devices with low-noise power and provide suitable data interfaces. This paper describes two implemented designs for such electronics, one for an analog-output detector array, and one for a digital-output array. Both subsystems are intended for planetary infrared imaging spectrometers and output data with similar frame sizes, rates, and bit depth. They include DC-DC conversion from bus power, connection to the detector array through a rigid-flexible printed circuit, data buffering and output through SpaceWire, and commanding over a UART. Due to their similarities in scope and capability, it is meaningful to compare the resources needed by each subsystem. We find that digital-output detectors minimize subsystem mass and volume, but analog-output detectors minimize subsystem power and heat rejection needs. Other trade-offs are also discussed.

A Comparison of Imaging Subsystems for Analog- versus Digital-Output Detector Arrays

Selected in 2019 as a NASA SIMPLEx mission, Lunar Trailblazer is in implementation for flight system delivery at the end of 2022. The mission's goal is to understand the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the Moon and the lunar water cycle. Lunar Trailblazer also collects data of candidate landing sites to inform planning for future human and robotic exploration of the Moon and evaluate the potential for in situ resource utilization. Lunar Trailblazer's two science instruments, the High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) and the Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) provide simultaneous high-resolution spectral imaging data to map OH/water, crustal composition, and thermophysical properties from a $100\pm 30$ km lunar polar orbit. The ∼210-kg flight system deploys from an ESPA Grande and utilizes a ∼1000 m/s $\Delta\mathrm{V}$ hydrazine chemical propulsion system, similar to that employed by GRAIL. Trailblazing elements include the novel state-of-the-art dataset collected at substantially reduced price point, fully geographically co-registered data products delivered to the Planetary Data System, planetary mission team demographics, Caltech campus mission operations, and student staffing of select mission ops roles. Lunar Trailblazer's pioneering development is providing key lessons learned for future planetary small spacecraft.

NASA's Lunar Trailblazer Mission: A Pioneering Small Satellite for Lunar Water and Lunar Geology

Handle everyday research tasks with reliable, citation-backed results

Your personal Research Agent to handle research tasks with citation-backed results

Popular Tasks used by Researchers

How can I help with your research?

Meet SciSpace

Get more enhanced response by uploading the PDFs you want me to reference.

No relevant PDFs in your library

SciSpace is the AI research assistant for academics. Run systematic literature reviews on 280M+ papers, and write papers with cited sources. Trusted by 1M+ students, PhDs & researchers.

SciSpace | AI for Research

Analyze PDFs

Code & Manuscripts

Funding & Grants

Literature & Patents

Medical & Clinical Data

Systematic Review

Visualize & Present

Web & Data

Build a Google Scholar-like website for your research.

Build a website

Create charts and images for your research

Create a Chart

Write a paper for submission to a journal

Draft a manuscript

Patent Search

Design eye-catching scientific posters in minutes.

Scientific Poster Generation

Systematic Literature Review

One task is running at the moment. Your messages will be shown right after.

Drag and drop or click here to browse

Loved by <highlight>1 million+</highlight> researchers

Extract a list of specific topics and their sources from unstructured text

Topics

Compare and analyze relevant papers that matches with your search

Papers

Get insights from PDFs and bookmarked papers from your library

My library

Recent searches

Try searching for:

Catch AI-generated content in scholarly and non-scholarly content

{ai} Detector

Ai Writer

Get PDF Summaries, highlighted text explanations 

Chat with PDF

Effortlessly create in-text citations and bibliographies in APA and 2,500 other formats

Citation generator

Get explanations, summaries, and answers on academic papers

Ease up your research workflow with {scispace}'s cohort of exciting AI tools

Elevate your academic writing skills and convey your ideas the way you want

Paraphraser

Explore our range of reading and writing tools

Your file is being prepared and should be ready in a few minutes. If it's a large file, it might take a bit longer. You can close this window, and we'll email you the file when it's done.

You have reached a maximum limit of <strong>{limit}</strong> columns in the table. Remove at least <strong>1</strong> column to add or create another one.

Thomas McCaa

Author Tools

Chat about Author

Papers

NASA's Lunar Trailblazer Mission: A Pioneering Small Satellite for Lunar Water and Lunar Geology