|
Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
|
|
MoonLITE 'Mole' Penetrators For Lunar Exploration
The MoonLITE (Moon Lightweight Interior and Telecoms Experiment) project is a proposed collaboration by the British government and NASA. A satellite would be placed in orbit around the Moon carrying penetrator probes. These probes would be dropped from orbit, penetrating the lunar crust. Readings from shock-resistant instruments would be sent back to the orbiter, and then back to Earth.
(MoonLITE Lunar Orbiter working design [pdf])
The orbiting platform would consist of a large, high thrust propulsion system and associated support structure, including communications and navigation capabilities. Power would be provided by a single solar array. The platform would communicate with the penetrators at data rates ranging from 200 bps to 3kbs.
According to the UK Space Board's Professor Keith Mason:
"This joint report represents a milestone... The [plans] provide an opportunity to harness the UK’s world-class expertise in small satellite, communication and robotic technologies focused on exploration of the Moon... the UK is fully exploiting and strategically maximising its technological and scientific strengths in space exploration."
The primary science goals of the program are summarized as follows:
- Constraining the origin, differentiation, internal structure, and early geological
evolution of the Moon.
- Gaining a better understanding of the origin and history of the volatile flux in the
Earth-Moon system.
- Collecting of “ground truth” geochemical data for the calibration of orbiting
remote-sensing instruments.
- Collecting in situ surface data that would help in the planning of future lunar
exploration activities.
Initially, the platform would enter a 100 kilometer altitude circular orbit; it would come within 40 kilometers of the surface for deployment of penetrators. Following deployment, the orbiter would move into a higher orbit to increase long-term orbit stability.
The penetrator deployment sequence is shown below. After a free-fall of about 3.5 minutes, the penetrator realigns itself to assure a near-vertical impact. The final impact velocity is estimated at about 350 meters per second.
(MoonLITE penetrator impact launch sequence [pdf])
The Penetrator Delivery System is shown below in a conceptual sketch.
(MoonLITE Lunar penetrator delivery system design concept [pdf])
The penetrator instrument package would include the following capabilities:
- Accelerometer/tilt assembly
- Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-
based microseismometer
- Pressure sensors, impedance spectrometer, compact mass spectrometer
- Sample collection and thermal control system is based on the drill and the pyrotechnic sample volume sealing device based on NASA Deep Space 2.
- Thermal sensors
- Geochemical analysis
- Microscope
- Radiation sensor
- Magnetometer
- Descent camera
The group believes that by deploying instruments to a variety of carefully chosen locations never before explored (including the poles and the lunar farside), MoonLITE penetrators have the potential to make major
contributions to lunar science. The mission would also provide knowledge essenial to future human missions to the Moon, and demonstrate technology that could be used elsewhere in the solar system.
In his 1958 novel The Mechanical Monarch, EC Tubb writes about asteroid miners who want to know the composition of asteroids prior to actually landing on them. They use a projectile to blow some material into vapor, and then use spectral analysis to determine composition.
From Joint Working Group Report on Lunar Cooperation via The Register.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 2/20/2008)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.
| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 5 )
Related News Stories -
("
Space Tech
")
JWST Finds Bucking Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
'... the glittering little rocket bolted to the black iron behind him.' - Jack Williamson, 1933.
First Trips To Mars Announced By Elon Musk
'I had determined that my first attempt should be a visit to Mars.' Percy Greg, 1880.
Lava Tubes On Moon And Mars
'...it never was built, or anything like that; it's just a big volcanic bubble.' - Robert Heinlein, 1957.
SpaceX EVA Spacesuit Tested By Polaris Dawn Crew
'Now, except for weight and heat, the same conditions prevail in this chamber as in space.' - Otto Willi Gail, 1929.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!)
is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for
the Invention Category that interests
you, the Glossary, the Invention
Timeline, or see what's New.
|
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
How Old Are Tesla Designs?
You be the judge.
Is Your Autonomous Tractor Safe?
'The field-minder finished turning the top-soil of a two-thousand-acre field.'
Smart TVs Are Listening!
'You had to live -- did live, from habit that became instinct -- in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard...'
Police Drones In China Would Like To Have A Word With You
''OVERRIDE,' the City Fathers said suddenly, without being asked anything at all.'
Oh Great (Part 2), Fence-Climbing Robots
Please, no stingers.
Are The Thought Police Listening To Everyone All The Time?
'... they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to.'
Finally, Robot Conductors On Autonomous Buses
'Wardour Street,' he told the robot-conductor.'
RoboShiko! Sumo Exercises Still Good For Robots
'... the expressionless face before me was therefore that of the golem-wrestler, Rolem, a creature that could be set for five times the strength of a human being.'
Giant Robotic Hands At Gundam Next Future Science
'Waldo put his arms into the primary pair before him; all three pairs, including the secondary pair mounted before the machine, came to life.'
JWST Finds Bucking Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
'... the glittering little rocket bolted to the black iron behind him.'
BeamBike Solar Power Canopy For Electric Bikes
'The slender stalks of a sunshade-photocell collector...'
California Fireman Arrested For Starting Fires
'Fire is bright and fire is clean.'
Robots Need A Better Sense Of Touch
'First, it rubbed my arms...'
MouthPad Supports Head And Tongue Tracking
'The operation that had transformed half his body... had located the control switchboard in his teeth.'
REALLY Remote Control Excavators
'It takes over a second for the signal to get to the Moon...'
Disney Helping Robots Dance
Dance, Robots, Dance.
More SF in the News Stories
More Beyond Technovelgy science news stories
|
|