|
|
 |
|
Systems Analysis Lecture by Pam Clark |
|
Date: July 21, 2006
Time: 1:00-3:00pm
Location: NASA LaRC, Building 1209, Rm 180
Additional Information: Bio | Presentation (PDF)
On the Lunar Surface in the 21st Century:
Current Knowledge, Compelling Challenges, and Potential Solutions
Dr. Pamela Clark, L3 Communications, GSI at NASA GSFC
21st Century Lunar Surface Exploration Missions, robotic and human, will present major challenges, requiring awareness of the current state of knowledge to create solutions to staying on the lunar surface. In this presentation, I will discuss the knowledge and experience gained to date as the basis of understanding the challenges and solutions for longer term stays for robotic devices and humans on the Moon.
The Apollo program resulted in tremendous gains despite overwhelming challenges, stimulating and advancing scientific inquiry and engineering, and leading to the successful development of technology for brief robotic and human operations in the most extreme environment. We opened the lunar frontier and it changed our view of the universe and ourselves.
Science: The first pieces of another terrestrial planet, collected directly from a small number of minimally but intelligently sampled sites, had major implications not only for lunar but for inner solar system history. Since that time, we have collected orbital data to extend our understanding of the limited areas sampled during the Apollo Program (that is, all equatorial and on the nearside) and to know the farside and higher latitudes are different from these areas. The Moon, systematically sampled through traverses in previously inaccessible rugged terrain, holds the key not only to understanding the formation of the Moon and terrestrial planets, but also to understanding solar system history and how it affected the Earth’s climate and geological history.
Engineering: The challenges met when landers, then humans, went to the Moon decades ago were amazing, but they involved planning for short-term operations only. Short-term missions meant that issues having major implications for the design of systems for lunar surface operations over days or weeks (e.g., dust mitigation and more sustainable shields and shelters from solar and cosmic radiation) could be overlooked, For longer duration visits, such as those planned for lunar missions within NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration, demonstrating and implementing processes for derivation of in situ resources could be essential.
This presentation will provide a context and potential solutions for addressing questions that must be answered for the next generation of Lunar Exploration Missions, such as the following: What is the best strategy for surveying and taking a ‘resource’ inventory of the lunar surface? What sites should be visited and what are the implications for resources? What tools and equipment are required? How long a stay can be contemplated? How much mobility can we achieve? What and how many monitoring instruments should be left behind? What is the most effective way to utilize robotic devices and humans? What is the most effective dust mitigation strategy, based on current findings? What kinds of sites could promote natural shelter and are they accessible enough? How can potential resources be identified and utilized?
|
|
|
Home