# Presentation: 180480

## LUNAR EXPLORATION SCIENCE    WORKING GROUP

- To Improve GSFC’s Ability to Contribute to
- Lunar Science and Lunar Exploration
- http://ssedso.gsfc.nasa.gov/initiatives/lunar/LESWG
*2**nd** General Meeting*
*October 19, 2006*

*From the Earth to the Moon, and then on to Mars. *
*	**	**	**And maybe, just maybe, someday – the stars!                 **HVF  NASA/GSFC*

**LUNAR EXPLORATION SCIENCE    WORKING GROUP**

## AGENDA

**AGENDA**
- News Note
- NRC Interim Report on Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon (Frey)
- 	_Bonus_: Excerpts from LPRP Presentation to NAC on 10/11
- NAC/PSS Meeting and Recommendations (Grayzeck)
- LESWG Focus Groups and Contacts (Grayzeck)
- Open discussion (All)

## Leave the skates on Earth -- Cornell researchers find no evidence of ice reserves on the moon     By Lauren Gold  (Cornell University Press Release)

- Leave the skates on Earth -- Cornell researchers find no evidence of ice reserves on the moon     By _[Lauren Gold](mailto:LG34@cornell.edu)__  (Cornell University Press Release)_
- Alas, **the moon is not for winter sports.** Never mind the difficulty of a triple axel in a bulky spacesuit (though the diminished gravity might help) -- **ice, it turns out, is hard to come by up there.**

- The researchers, led by Donald Campbell, professor of astronomy at Cornell, analyzed radar transmitted to the moon from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and received 2.5 seconds later at the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia. Using 20-meter resolution, 13-centimeter wavelength radar, **they looked at areas around the lunar south pole where earlier low-resolution images had indicated a high circular polarization ratio (CPR) -- a possible signature of low-temperature water ice.**
**They found similar high CPR values. But they also found that those values are not confined to areas that stay cold enough to sustain ice; they occurred in sunlit areas as well**, where temperatures can reach 243 degrees Fahrenheit (117 degrees Celsius) and ice would evaporate rapidly. **That indicates that scattered rocks associated with young impact craters are more likely the causes of the high CPR.**

- That's the latest word from astronomers at Cornell and the Smithsonian Institution, who used high-resolution radar-mapping techniques to look for ice deposits at the lunar poles.
- Their research appears in the Oct. 19 issue of the journal Nature.

**Shoemaker**
**Shackelton**

- Areceibo 13 cm
- Res ~ 20m

## AGENDA

**AGENDA**
- News Note
- NRC Interim Report on Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon (Frey)
- 	_Bonus_: Excerpts from LPRP Presentation to NAC on 10/11
- NAC/PSS Meeting and Recommendations (Grayzeck)
- LESWG Focus Groups and Contacts (Grayzeck)
- Open discussion (All)

## The Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon

- Interim Report
- Space Studies Board/National Research Council
- Full interim report available at the LESWG Web site:
- http://ssedso.gsfc.nasa.gov/initiatives/lunar/LESWG
- From the Preface:
- 	“...to realize this benefit from the LPRP [Lunar Precursor Robotic Program] series, ***NASA needs a comprehensive, well-validated, and prioritized set of scientific objectives for the Moon*****.**  The purpose of this interim report is to provide scientific input into NASA’s planning process, with a full report to follow in summer 2007.”
- 	“Looking beyond the robotic precursor missions, ***science goals need to be articulated for early decisions about system design and operations planning for combined robotic and human activities on the Moon*****....”**

## 	“This study was initiated by Mary Cleave, NASA’s associate administrator for science....asking the National Research Council (NRC) to provide guidance on the scientific challenges and opportunities enabled by a sustained program of robotic and human exploration of the Moon during the period 2008-2023+.”

- 	“This study was initiated by Mary Cleave, NASA’s associate administrator for science....asking the National Research Council (NRC) to provide guidance on the scientific challenges and opportunities enabled by ***a sustained program of robotic and human exploration of the Moon*** ***during the period 2008-2023+.”***
- 	“...The interim report provides a summary of scientific themes....and recommendations concerning a broad range of science that should be an integral part of the lunar component of NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration....***the interim report deliberately focuses on the science of the Moon*****.**  Issues relating to science from the Moon...will be presented and discussed more completely in the full report.”

## PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GOALS

**PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GOALS**
**The *****primary goals***** of the interim report are to:**
- 	(1) Identify a common set of prioritized basic science goals that could be addressed in the near-term via the Lunar Precursor and Robotic Program (LPRP) of orbital and landed robotic lunar missions (2008-2018) and in the early phase of human exploration (nominally beginning in 2018), and
- 	(2) To the extent possible, suggest whether individual goals are most amenable to orbital measurements, in situ analysis or instrumentation, or terrestrial analysis via sample return.

## Go to Appendix A to find the Secondary goals:

- 	(3) “Goals and activities oriented toward ESMD requirements, for example, LPRP characterization of the lunar environment of value to human safety and in situ resource utilization (ISRU), should be analyzed...These should be tabulated separately, but areas of overlap between basic science goals and these ESMD requirements should be noted as synergistic opportunities.”
- 	(4) “It is not intended that the current study address in depth more ambitious future opportunities that would entail assembly of large and complex research apparatus on the Moon. Examples are major lunar astronomical observatories or Earth observations systems...Science goals for astronomy and astrophysics are already provided by the NRC reports....Earth system science and applications goals will be articulated in the new NRC decadal survey...

## “Applied laboratory research in life sciences or materials or physical science in the lunar low-gravity environment oriented toward human Mars exploration are not within scope of the task, but could be addressed in a future study.”

- “Applied laboratory research in life sciences or materials or physical science in the lunar low-gravity environment oriented toward human Mars exploration are not within scope of the task, but could be addressed in a future study.”

- Why the Moon?
- 	“...The Moon is, above all, a witness to 4.5 billion years of solar system history, and it has recorded that history more completely and more clearly than any other planetary body. Nowhere else can we see back with such clarity to the time when Earth and the other terrestrial planets were formed.”

## From the Executive Summary (and Introduction):

- Why the Moon?
- 	“...The lunar interior retains a record of the initial stages of planetary evolution. Its crust has never been altered by plate tectonics, which continually recycle Earth’s crust, or planet-wide volcanism, which resurfaced Venus on half a billion years ago, or by the action of wind and water, which have transformed the surfaces of both Earth and Mars. The Moon today presents a record of geologic processes of early planetary evolution in the purest form.”

## From the Executive Summary (and Introduction):

- Why the Moon?
- 	“For these reasons, the Moon is priceless to planetary scientists: It remains a cornerstone for deciphering the histories of more complex worlds...Now...it is possible to pose more sophisticated questions that are more relevant and focused than those that could be asked over three decades ago. Only by returning to the Moon...can we hope to close the gaps in understanding and learn the secrets that the Moon alone has kept for eons.”

## SCIENTIFIC THEMES,

**GOALS AND QUESTIONS**
**Themes lead to ****Goals****.**
**Goals can be grouped by areas:**
**	****	****Fundamental Solar system Science (1,2,3,4)**
**	****	****Planetary Processes (5,6,8,9)**
**	****	****Other Opportunities (7,10)**
- 	While nearly all of the goals described in this report could be of interest to GSFC, those marked with this symbol may be especially relevant (in my admittedly narrow view)

## Theme 1:  The bombardment history of the inner solar system is

**uniquely revealed on the Moon**
- 	**Characterize and date the impact flux (early and recent) of the inner solar system (and understand the limitations in extending the lunar flux curve to other planets)**
_**Theme 2**_**:  Structure & composition of the lunar interior provide**
**fundamental information on the evolution of a differentiated body**
- 	**Determine the internal structure and composition of a differentiated planetary body (using a variety of geophysical and compositional analyses)   [seismology, heat flow, sample return]**
_**Theme 3**_**:  The Moon’s crust is much more complicated than are**
**the mare and highlands**
- 	**Determine the compositional diversity (lateral and vertical) and origin of rocks formed in a differentiated planetary body**

## Theme 4:  Lunar volcanism provides a window into the thermal

_**Theme 4**_**:  Lunar volcanism provides a window into the thermal**
**and compositional evolution of the Moon**
- 	**Determine the timescales and compositional and physical diversity of volcanic processes**
_**Theme 5**_**:  The Moon is an accessible laboratory for studying the**
**impact process on planetary scales**
- 	**Characterize the cratering processes (including central peak formation, melt sheet evolution, etc.) on a scale relevant to planets**
_**Theme 6**_**:  The Moon is a natural laboratory for regolith processes**
**and weathering on anhydrous airless bodies**
- 	**Constrain processes involved in regolith evolution and decipher ancient lunar environments from regolith samples (interspersed between volcanic flows)**

## Theme 7:  The Moon may provide important information about the

_**Theme 7:  **_**The Moon may provide important information about the**
**early Earth and the origin of life**
**	****Utilize lunar observations to characterize Earth’s early history (using information on early solar variations, cosmic dust input and possible unmetamorphosed samples of the early Earth surface which may be found on the Moon)**
_**Theme 8**_**:  The lunar poles are special environments that may bear**
**witness to the volatile flux over latter solar system history**
- 	**Characterize the volatile compounds of polar regions on an airless body and determine their importance for the history of volatiles in the solar system**

## Theme 9:  Further exploration can vastly improve understanding

_**Theme 9**_**:  Further exploration can vastly improve understanding**
**of the fragile lunar atmosphere**
- 	**Understand processes involved with the atmosphere (exosphere) of airless bodies in the inner solar system (*****before extensive human and robotic activity alters the tenuous lunar environment*****)**
_**Theme 10**_**:  The Moon may provide an excellent platform for**
**specific types of observations**
- 	**Determine the utility of the Moon for astrophysics observations and as a platform for making observations of Earth and solar-terrestrial processes**

## Lunar Science Goals by Major Area

**Fundamental Solar System Science**
- 		Characterize and date the impact flux (early and recent) of the inner solar system
- 		Determine the internal structure and composition of a differentiated planetary body
- 		Determine the compositional diversity (lateral and vertical) of the ancient crust 			formed by a differentiated planetary body
- 		Characterize the volatile compounds of polar regions on an airless body and 			determine their importance for the history of volatiles in the solar system.
**(2) Planetary Processes**
- 		Determine the time scales and compositional and physical diversity of volcanic 			processes
- 		Characterize the cratering process on a scale relevant to planets
- 		Constrain processes involved in regolith evolution and decipher ancient 			environments from regolith samples
- 		Understand processes involved in the atmosphere (exosphere) of airless bodies in 		the inner solar system.
**3) Other Opportunities** (additional information is required for these)
- 		Utilize data from the Moon to characterize Earth’s early history
- 		Determine the utility of the moon for astrophysics observations
- 		Determine the utility of the Moon as a platform for observations of Earth
- 		Determine the utility of the Moon as a platform for observations of solar-terrestrial 		processes

## FINDINGS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS

**FINDINGS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS**
**Principal Finding:**
*Lunar activities apply to broad scientific and exploration concerns*

## FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

**Finding 1: Enabling activities are critical in the near term**
- 	**Recommendation 1:**  Establish a Fundamental Lunar Research Program and a Lunar Data Analysis Program
**Finding 2: Explore the South Pole-Aitken Basin**
- 	**Recommendation 2:**  Accomplish the scientific goals in the 2003 NRC decadal survey report *New Frontiers in the Solar System: An Integrated Exploration Strategy’s* highest-priority recommendation (sample return)

## FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (continued)

**Finding 3: Determine the composition and structure of the lunar interior**
- 	**Recommendation 3:**  Pursue an international effort to develop a standard small set of instruments (e.g., seismometer, thermal profiler, retro-reflector, etc.) for wide distribution across the moon.
**Finding 4: Maximize the diversity of lunar samples**
- 	**Recommendation 4:**  Select landing sites to fill in the gaps in diversity of lunar samples. Returned samples should have bulk undisturbed soil (200 g minimum) and at least 1 kg of rock fragments 2 to 6 mm in diameter...

## FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (continued)

**Finding 5: Proceed with lunar surface mission development and the site selection process**
- 	**Recommendation 5:**  Start a comprehensive process for lunar landing site selection through a science definition team, permitting choice of specific sites to evolve as new information becomes available, but with full input of the scientific community.
**Finding 6: Understand the lunar polar deposits and environment**
- 	**Recommendation 6:**  Carry out activities (orbital, in situ landed missions) to understand the inventory, lateral distribution, composition (chemical, isotopic, mineralogic), physical state, and stratigraphy of lunar polar deposits...early enough to prevent substantial change in the polar environment due to robotic and human activities.

## FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (continued)

**Finding 7: Understand and characterize the lunar atmosphere**
- 	**Recommendation 7:**  Document the lunar atmosphere in its pristine state [before it gets changed by human activities], including sources and processes for its loss. This includes full compositional survey of major and trace components to 1% mixing ratio, transport to poles, sunrise/sunset dynamics, variability of indigenous and exogenous sources, and loss rates by various processes.
- 	[Seems a natural for GSFC:
- 		Relevant contributions could come from 610, 670, 690]

## FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (continued)

**Finding 8: Evaluate the Moon’s potential as an observation platform**
- 	**Recommendation 8:**  Conduct a thorough study of suitability of Moon as an observational site for studies of Earth, Sun-Earth connections, astronomy, and astrophysics.
**Finding 9: Establish strong ties with international programs**
- 	**Recommendation 9:**  Plan and carry out activities with the international community in a “coordinated and cooperative manner”.  The committee endorses the recent “Beijing Declaration” of the 8th International Conference on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon.

## RELATED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

- The Committee also provided several “related findings and recommendations” intended to “facilitate a balanced program to reach the scientific goals”
**Finding 1R: Optimize the partnership between NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission and Science Mission Directorates**
- 	**Recommendation 1R:**  Establish a science management office within the Exploration Systems Directorate, reporting jointly to ESMD and SMD
**Finding 2R:  Identify and develop lunar-specific advanced technology and instrumentation**
- 	**Recommendation 2R:**  Develop an advanced technology program for critical lunar-specific capabilities [ a LIDDP ???]

## RELATED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (continued)

**Finding 3R: Plan curatorial and principal investigator facilities for new lunar samples**
- 	**Recommendation 3R:**  Evaluate, with the scientific community, future needs for curatorial facilities, and the state and availability of instrumentation for curation and analysis.
**Finding 4R: Optimize astronaut lunar field investigations – an integrated human/robotic approach**
- 	**Recommendation 4R:**  In conjunction with the science community, develop an integrated human/robotic program using robotic assistants and independent autonomous/tele-operated robotic systems, including extensive early training and simulation.

## From the Executive Summary (and Introduction):

- Why the Moon?
- 	“....the Moon is priceless to planetary scientists: It remains a cornerstone for deciphering the histories of more complex worlds.... Only by returning to the Moon...can we hope to close the gaps in understanding and learn the secrets that the Moon alone has kept for eons.”

## Much is written, but....

**(with no apologies)**

**Much is written, but....**

## ....when push comes to shove....

**(with no apologies)**

**...****.when push comes to shove....**

## ....how much really gets done?

**(with no apologies)**

**...****.how much really gets done?**

## AGENDA

**AGENDA**
- NRC Interim Report on Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon (Frey)
- 	_Bonus_: Excerpts from LPRP Presentation to NAC on 10/11
- NAC/PSS Meeting and Recommendations (Grayzeck)
- LESWG Focus Groups and Contacts (Grayzeck)
- Open discussion (All)