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Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the - Solar System ...

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Conclusions<br />

Venus’ tessera provide fundamental clues to <strong>the</strong> planet’s past, but, <strong>the</strong> terra<strong>in</strong> has been viewed as<br />

largely <strong>in</strong>accessible <strong>for</strong> l<strong>and</strong>ed science due to <strong>the</strong>ir known roughness. Based on analyses of <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

dynamics, mechanical, <strong>the</strong>rmal, power, optics, avionics, <strong>and</strong> communication designs <strong>for</strong> this mission, a<br />

robust spacecraft capable of l<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g safely <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> tessera terra<strong>in</strong>, conduct<strong>in</strong>g surface science <strong>and</strong><br />

transmitt<strong>in</strong>g all data back to Earth via <strong>the</strong> telecom-relay spacecraft is technically feasible. However,<br />

because <strong>the</strong> Venus In Situ Explorer <strong>and</strong> Venus Climate Mission were judged of higher priority comb<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

with considerations of program balance, this mission was not considered fur<strong>the</strong>r as a decadal option.<br />

LUNAR POLAR VOLATILES EXPLORER<br />

A mission concept study per<strong>for</strong>med by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center <strong>in</strong> cooperation with<br />

<strong>the</strong> Johns Hopk<strong>in</strong>s University Applied Physics Laboratory.<br />

Overview<br />

The purpose of this rapid mission architecture study was to determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> feasibility of a mission<br />

to <strong>in</strong>vestigate putative volatiles <strong>in</strong> permanently shadowed areas of <strong>the</strong> lunar poles. While previous orbital<br />

missions have provided data that support <strong>the</strong> possibility of water ice deposits exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> polar region,<br />

this concept seeks to underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> nature of those volatiles by direct <strong>in</strong>-situ measurement.<br />

<strong>Science</strong> Objectives<br />

• Determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> <strong>for</strong>m <strong>and</strong> species of <strong>the</strong> volatile compounds at <strong>the</strong> lunar poles.<br />

• Determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> vertical distribution <strong>and</strong> concentration of volatile compounds <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> lunar polar<br />

regolith.<br />

• Determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> lateral distribution/concentration of volatile compounds <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> lunar polar<br />

regolith.<br />

• Determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> secondary alteration m<strong>in</strong>eralogy of regolith.<br />

• Determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> composition <strong>and</strong> variation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> lunar exosphere adjacent to cold traps.<br />

Mission Design<br />

The mission concept explored <strong>in</strong>volves plac<strong>in</strong>g a l<strong>and</strong>er <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>strumented rover <strong>in</strong> a permanently<br />

shadowed crater near one of <strong>the</strong> Moon’s poles. The rover would carry a suite of science <strong>in</strong>struments to<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestigate <strong>the</strong> location, composition, <strong>and</strong> state of volatiles. Rovers powered by batteries <strong>and</strong> radioisotope<br />

power systems (RPS) were considered. A battery-powered option, designed to support 4.4 days of surface<br />

operations, could achieve some, but not all, <strong>the</strong> mission’s top science goals. The development of <strong>the</strong><br />

mission was assumed to start <strong>in</strong> 2013 to support an October 2018 launch.<br />

Mission Challenges<br />

Although this study identifies several mission components at TRLs less than 6, <strong>the</strong> required<br />

technology advancements are believed to be achievable <strong>and</strong> consistent with <strong>the</strong> outl<strong>in</strong>ed mission schedule.<br />

PREPUBLICATION COPY—SUBJECT TO FURTHER EDITORIAL CORRECTION<br />

D-5

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