Overview of Water Ice Sampling and Detection Techniques in the Lunar Polar Region

Abstract

For the aim of scientific exploration of lunar water ice, this review summarizes the challenges and key technologies needed for water ice sampling and detection in the lunar polar region according to the lunar polar environment and the characteristics of lunar water ice. For the demand of selection of water ice sampling site，according to different working principles，five methods were summarized：mechanical sensing，thermoelectric physical property sensing，radar detection，spectrum detection and neutron spectrum detection. Then，for the demand of surface-exposed water ice sampling，three kinds of surface sampling techniques，including scooping，shallow drilling，and grinding were described. For the needs of subsurface buried water ice sampling，first，the subsurface regolith penetration techniques for extraterrestrial objects were summarized，then six kinds of drilling sampling techniques were introduced， including integrated sensing，volatile extraction，lunar surface drilling cuttings acquisition, bit external cuttings acquisition，bit internal cuttings acquisition and coring. Finally，suggestions on technical approaches for China’s implementing lunar water ice sampling and exploration missions were put forward.

Keywords

lunar polar region / lunar water ice / sampling / in-situ exploration