1. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 An Update to MoonLITE Lunar Mission Rob Gowen, MSSL/UCL On behalf of the UK Penetrator Consortium + international support

2. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE - Overview A UK initiated single mission to emplace 4 penetrators widely spaced over the lunar surface to operate for 1 year   4π seismic network to enable investigation of deep lunar interior mantle/core, and location/nature of strong enigmatic surface quakes possibly dangerous to siting of lunar bases.   Geochemistry, presence of water (ISRU) and volatiles at the poles, and possible organic/astrobiological material of cometary origin.   In-situ exploration of new terrains (far side, poles)   Precursor to exploration of other solar system bodies   Impetus for UK plc   High public interest

3. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE - Timeline   Jan 2006 – First meeting of UK penetrator consortium, now expanded to 8 UK institutes and 3 industries   Dec 2006 - UK Research Council commissioned report of low cost lunar missions, and gave MoonLITE top priority.   Apr 2007 – First funding in place for penetrator trials   Feb 2008 - UK Civil Space Strategy: ‘Develop a sustainable programme, in partnership with other agencies, of low cost robotic explorers, initially focused on lunar exploration, to achieve early, high profile science goals’   Feb 2008 - BNSC/NASA Joint Working Group report describes MoonLITE as ‘inspirational’ and proposes a joint JPT and Phase A study   <mid 2008 – Joint Phase A study of MoonLITE expected to begin   ~2013 - Launch

4. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Mission Description  Polar Orbiter Deliver penetrators to ejection orbit. Provide pre-ejection health status, Provide relay communications.  Orbiter Payload: 4 Descent Probes Each containing 10-15 kg penetrator + 20-25 kg de-orbit and attitude control system.  Landing sites: Globally spaced Far side, Polar region(s), One near an Apollo landing site for calibration.  Duration: >1 year for seismic network. Other science does not require so long (perhaps a few Lunar cycles for heat flow and volatiles much less).  Penetrator Design: Single Body for simplicity and risk avoidance. Battery powered with comprehensive power saving techniques. 3 2 1 4 Far side Polar comms orbiter

5. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Penetrators Delivery System –Launch from spacecraft –Spin stabilise –Fire de-orbit motor –Re-orient –Separate penetrator from delivery system –impact SSTL

6. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE penetrators projectiles ~10-13Kg –Low mass projectiles ~10-13Kg –High impact speed ~ 250-300 m/s –Very tough ~10-40kgee –Penetrate surface ~ few metres –Perform science from below surface SSTL

7. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Penetrator Payload/Science A nominal 2kg payload … A nominal 2kg payload …  Seismometers - Probe interior structure and seismic activity  Chemical sensors – Detect water, other volatiles (organic/astrobiologic) and refactory chemicals.  Accelerometers – Probe surface/sub-surface material (hardness/layering/homogeneity)  Thermal sensors - Determine subsurface temperatures and probe deep interior processes via heat flow.  + other instruments – e.g mineralogy camera, permittivity, XRF, radiation monitor, magnetometer  descent camera (landing site location, surface morphology, PR) Micro-seismometer Imperial College Ion trap spectrometer Open University

8. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008Heritage  Lunar-A and DS2 space qualified. –DS2 failed along with soft lander –Lunar-A penetrators not yet flown  Military have been successfully firing instrumented projectiles for many years with comparable impact velocities into concrete and steel.  40,000gee qualified electronics exist (and re-used).  Payload heritage: –Accelerometers, thermometers, sample drill, geophones – fully space qualified. –Seismometers (ExoMars) & chemical sensors (Rosetta) have space heritage but require impact ruggedizing. –Mineralogy camera – new but simple. When asked to describe the condition of a probe that had impacted 2m of concrete at 300 m/s a UK expert described the device as ‘a bit scratched’!

9. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE Technical Status Full-scale trial – Scheduled May 19-23 2008 Fire 3 penetrators at 300m/s impact velocity 0.56m

10. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – 19 - 23 May08

11. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – 19 - 23 May08

12. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – 19 - 23 May08

13. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – 19 - 23 May08

14. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact trial – 19 - 23 May08

15. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Impact Trial Objectives  Demonstrate survivability of penetrator shell, accelerometers and power system.  Determine internal acceleration environment at different positions within penetrator.  Extend and validate sophisticated modelling to new impact and penetrator materials.  Assess impact on penetrator subsystems and instruments.  Assess alternative packing methods.  Assess interconnect philosophy.

16. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Expected Next Steps  Mission Phase-A to start imminently, and complete by end of year.  Funds to be released for parallel instrument and subsystem technical development. (to achieve TRL level 5 within 2 years)  International peer review for science.   Major system studies (e.g. thermal, comms, descent etc); impact modelling of both regolith and instruments, underpinning future small scale & full scale impact trials.

17. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Trial Hardware - Status Inners Stack

18. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 Penetrator website: http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/planetary/missions/Micro_Penetrators.php email: rag@mssl.ucl.ac.ukrag@mssl.ucl.ac.uk MoonLITE - A focused mission with clear objectives based on a strong technology background Conclusions

19. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 - End -

20. EGU Conference,Vienna, April15, 2008 MoonLITE - Rationale   Scientifically focussed   Precursor to future penetrator programmes   High public interest   Impetus to industry   Affordable