Transcript penetrators_Glasgow_V1.2 - Mullard Space Science Laboratory

Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Planetary
Micro-Penetrators
Dr Rob Gowen on behalf of Glyn Collinson
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+ international - Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Poland, Russia, USA
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What are kinetic penetrators ?
 Low mass projectiles ~2-13Kg
Detachable
Propulsion Stage
– Lunar A 13.5Kg
– DS-2 3.6Kg
 High impact speed
~ 200-500 m/s
Point of
Separation
Payload
Instruments
 Very tough ~10-50kgee
 Penetrate surface
~ few metres
 Perform important
science from below
surface
Penetrator
PDS
(Penetrator
Delivery System)
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Penetrator Mission : Europa
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History
No survivable high velocity impacting probe has
been successfully landed on any extraterrestrial
body
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DS2 (Mars) NASA 1999 ?
 Mars96 (Russia) failed to leave Earth orbit
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Japanese Lunar-A cancelled
(now planned to fly on Russian Lunar Glob)
 Many paper studies and ground trials
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UK Heritage and Feasibility
• Military have been successfully firing instrumented projectiles
for many years to at least comparable levels of gee forces
expected.
• Target materials mostly concrete and steel
• 40,000gee qualified electronics exist (re-used !)
• DS-2 and Lunar-A penetrators – space qualified.
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’ !
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Examples of hi-gee
electronic systems
Designed and tested :
– Communication systems
• 36 GHz antenna, receiver and electronic
fuze tested to 45 kgee
– Dataloggers
• 8 channel, 1 MHz sampling rate tested
to 60 kgee
– MEMS devices (accelerometers, gyros)
• Tested to 50 kgee
– MMIC devices
• Tested to 20 kgee
MMIC chip tested to 20 kgee
Communication system and
electronic fuze tested to 45
kgee
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Prime Planetary Targets
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Scientific Objectives - Luna
• Core
– Water and volatile detection
– Seismology
– Accelerometer
• Desirable
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Descent camera
Heat Flow
Geochemistry/XRF
Mineralogy
Radiation Monitor
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Science – Polar Volatiles
A suite of instruments will detect and characterise
volatiles (including water) within shaded craters at
both poles
• Astrobiologically important
– possibly remnant of the original seeding of planets
by comets
– may provide evidence of important cosmic-ray
mediated organic synthesis
• Vital to the future manned exploration of
the Moon
Prototype,
ruggedized ion trap
mass-spectrometer
Open University
NASA Lunar Prospector
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Science – Lunar Seismology
A global network of seismometers will tell us:
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Size and physical state of the Lunar Core
Structure of the Lunar Mantle
Thickness of the far side crust
The origin of the enigmatic shallow moon-quakes
The seismic environment at potential
manned landing sites
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Europa Penetrator ‘Payload’ Science
• Beeping Transmitter
– For Earth based VLBI determination of surface ice
movement (deformation, seismic vibration)
• Accelerometer
- Determination of ice characteristics and
penetration depth.
• Micro-Seismometers/tilt-meter
- Detection of natural (or impact) seismic activity.
- Presence and size of an under ice ocean.
- ‘cryo-tectonic’ activity
• Chemical Sensors
- Presence, extent, concentration of organics
(possible life indicators).
- Presence, extent and concentration of other
chemical species
(minerals, chirality, isotopic abundances ?)
• Other sensors: Micro-camera (descent,
surface), magnetometer, radiation monitor,
etc.
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Enceladus
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500Km dia. (c.f. with UK)
Fierce south pole plume (ice/dust)
Hi-albedo covering Saturnian moons ?
‘Atmosphere’ (H2O,N2,CO2,CH4)
Liquid water under surface (life ?)
(image from Wikipedia)
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Titan
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~50% larger than our Moon
Atmosphere ~4x denser that Earth’s at
surface
Mountains, sand dunes, lakes,
geologically young
Weather (winds, clouds, precipitation,
seasons)
Complex organic chemistry
Very Earth like ! but cold (Life ?)
dunes
(Wikipedia)
Fluvial plain
Cosmic Visions Proposal
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Consortium Status
1. MoonLITE Mission - currently in discussion
with BNSC and NASA
2. Europa (LAPLACE) and Titan/Enceladus
(TANDEM) ESA Cosmic Vision Proposals –
Selected, 18 month study phase commences.
3. Full-scale structure impact trial – March 2008
4. Pre-mission development – Preparing bids
for 2 yr development to bring technology
ruggedization up to TRL 5.
http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/planetary/missions/Micro_Penetrators.php
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End
http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/planetary/missions/Micro_Penetrators.php
Polar comms
orbiter
MoonLITE
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 Delivery and Comms Spacecraft (Orbiter).
Deliver penetrators to ejection orbit.
provide pre-ejection health status,
and relay communications.
Far side
 Orbiter Payload: 4 Descent Probes
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(each containing 10-15 kg penetrator
+ 20-25 kg de-orbit and attitude
control).
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 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.
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