Design for In-Situ Water Ice Analysis in the Lunar Polar Region

LI Xiang1, WANG Xingping1, LU Wenzhen1, GUO Meiru2, HUANG Zhengxu3, ZHANG Xiaoping4, XU Zhenyu1, YAO Lu1, RUAN Jun1, KAN Ruifeng1, CAO Nailiang1

PDF(4445 KB)
PDF(4445 KB)
Journal of Deep Space Exploration ›› 2023, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (6) : 618-630. DOI: 10.15982/j.issn.2096-9287.2023.20230106

Design for In-Situ Water Ice Analysis in the Lunar Polar Region

  • LI Xiang1, WANG Xingping1, LU Wenzhen1, GUO Meiru2, HUANG Zhengxu3, ZHANG Xiaoping4, XU Zhenyu1, YAO Lu1, RUAN Jun1, KAN Ruifeng1, CAO Nailiang1
Author information +
History +

Abstract

It is crucial to directly confirm the presence of water by detecting water ice and its content in the lunar polar region in situ. Spectroscopy and mass spectrometry are both important tools for identifying and quantifying material composition. They can complement each other to achieve comprehensive detection of water ice, volatile content, and H isotope abundance in the lunar polar region. The paper introduces the spectroscopy and mass spectrometry technique with Luna 25, Luna 27 and Viper as examples of typical in-situ detection applications. It includes the detection mechanism, operating mode and instrument functions, performance and applications. In last, we provided a brief introduction to the upcoming application of the “Chang’e-7” lunar polar region water molecule analyzer. This instrument comprises a laser absorption spectrometer, which is responsible for the in-situ analysis of H2O and HDO, and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer that enables the analysis of gas molecules with mass numbers < 200 amu, such as H2O and CH4. The scheme can support in-situ analysis of water ice for lunar south pole landing missions.

Keywords

lunar polar region / lunar water ice / in-situ exploration / lunar water molecular analyzer

Cite this article

Download citation ▾
LI Xiang, WANG Xingping, LU Wenzhen, GUO Meiru, HUANG Zhengxu, ZHANG Xiaoping, XU Zhenyu, YAO Lu, RUAN Jun, KAN Ruifeng, CAO Nailiang. Design for In-Situ Water Ice Analysis in the Lunar Polar Region. Journal of Deep Space Exploration, 2023, 10(6): 618‒630 https://doi.org/10.15982/j.issn.2096-9287.2023.20230106

References

[1] NOZETTE S. The Clementine bistatic radar experiment[J]. Science,1996,274(5292):1495-1498.
[2] FELDMAN W C. Fluxes of fast and epithermal neutrons from Lunar Prospector:evidence for water ice at the lunar poles[J]. Science,1998,281(5382):1496-1500.
[3] PIETERS C M. Character and spatial distribution of OH/H2O on the surface of the Moon seen by M3 on Chandrayaan-1[J]. Science,2009,326(5952):568-572.
[4] SRIDHARAN R. Direct evidence for water (H2O) in the sunlit lunar ambience from CHACE on MIP of Chandrayaan I[J]. Planetary and Space Science,2010,58(6):947-950.
[5] COLAPRETE A. Supporting online material for:detection of water in the LCROSS ejecta plume[J]. Science,2010,330(6003):463-468.
[6] CLARK R N. Detection of adsorbed water and hydroxyl on the Moon[J]. Science,2009,326(5952):562564.
[7] SUNSHINE J M. Temporal and spatial variability of lunar hydration as observed by the deep impact spacecraft[J]. Science,2009,326(5952):565-568.
[8] HONNIBALL C I. Molecular water detected on the sunlit Moon by SOFIA[J]. Nature Astronomy,2021,5(2):121-127.
[9] HONNIBALL C I. Regional map of molecular water at high southern latitudes on the Moon using 6 μm data from the stratospheric observatory for infrared astronomy[J]. Geophysical Research Letters,2022,49(9):e2022GL097786.
[10] ANTHONY C. An overview of the volatiles investigating polar exploration rover (viper) mission[C]//Proceedings of AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts. [S. l.]:AGU,2019.
[11] GERALD S. Nasa lunar ISRU strategy[C]//Proceedings of “What next for space resource utilisation” Workshop. [S. l.]:NASA,2019.
[12] SMITH K E. The VIPER mission,a resource-mapping mission on another celestial body[C]//Proceedings of SRR XXII Meeting Colorado School of Mines. Golden,Co:Colorado School of Mines,2022.
[13] CHIODINI S. Mars rovers localization by matching local horizon to surface digital elevation models[C]//Proceedings of 2017 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace). [S. l.]:IEEE,2017.
[14] DAVID H. The ESA prospect payload for LUNA 27: development status and science activities[C]// Proceedings of EPSC2021-291. Copernicus Meetings. Held Virtually: European Space Research and Technology Centre, 2021.
[15] TRETYAKOV V I,ZELENYI L M,MITROFANOV I G. Overview of Luna-27 science instruments[C]//The Eleventh Moscow Solar System Symposium 11M-S3. Moscow, Russia: Space Research Institute, 2020.
[16] DJACHKOVA M V. Selection of Luna-25 landing sites in the south polar region of the Moon[J]. Solar System Research,2017,51:185-195.
[17] MITROFANOV I G. Luna-25:the first polar mission to the Moon[J]. Solar System Research,2021,55:485-495.
[18] MYLSWAMY A. Chandrayaan-2:India's first soft-landing mission to Moon[C]//Proceedings of 39th COSPAR Scientific Assembly. [S. l.]:COSPAR,2012.
[19] SUNDARARAJAN V. Overview and technical architecture of India's Chandrayaan-2 mission to the Moon[C]//Proceedings of 2018 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting. [S. l.]:AIAA,2018.
[20] LAXMIPRASAD A S. Laser induced breakdown spectroscope on Chandrayaan-2 rover:a miniaturized mid-UV to visible active spectrometer for lunar surface chemistry studies[J]. Current Science,2020,118(4):573-581.
[21] 王帅. 2021年全球深空探测领域发展综述[J]. 国际太空,2022(2):20-24
[22] 冯华,吴伟仁. 探月工程四期还将实施3次任务[J]. 国防科技工业,2022(3):17.
[23] ROUSH T L,COLAPRETE A,COOK A M,et al. Volatile monitoring of soil cuttings during drilling in cryogenic,water-doped lunar simulant[J]. Advances in Space Research,2018,62(5):1025-1033.
[24] ROUSH T L. The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) Near Infrared Volatile Spectrometer System (NIRVSS)[C]//Proceedings of 52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. [S. l.]:ESA,2021.
[25] RYAN V. VIPER: chasing volatiles, running from shadows[C]//Proceedings of NASA Ames Summer Series Talk. Moffett Field, CA, US: Ames Research Center, 2020.
[26] RYAN V. VIPER–volatiles investigating polar exploration rover:mission overview[C]//Proceedings of International Small Satellite Conference. Virtual, US: Committee on Space Research, 2020.
[27] ZACNY K. TRIDENT drill for VIPER and PRIME-1 Missions to the Moon[J]. Earth and Space,2022,2021:465-474.
[28] STEVEN O. Use of a dynamic radioisotope power source for a long duration lunar science rover[C]// Proceedings of Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (NETS-2022). Cleveland, OH, US: American Nuclear Society, 2022.
[29] JEREMI G, DIEGO A U.LUVMI-X: an innovative instrument suit and versatile mobility solution for lunar exploration[C]//Proceedings of International Astronautical Congress. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: International Astronautical Federation, 2021.
[30] Ganceta J. LUVMI-X rover:test results and prospects[C]//Proceedings of International Astronautical Congress. Paris, France: International Astronautical Federation, 2022.
[31] CHUMIKOV A E. LASMA-LR laser-ionization mass spectrometer onboard Luna-25 and Luna-27 missions[J]. Solar System Research 55 (2021):550-561.
[32] VOGT D,SCHRDER S,HÜBERS H W, et al. LIBS for volatile detection in the lunar polar region[C]//Proceedings of 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The Woodlands, Texas: Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) and NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), 2020.
[33] LOSEKAMM, MARTIN J. Assessing the distribution of water ice and other volatiles at the lunar south pole with LUVMI-X: a mission concept[J]. The Planetary Science Journal, 2022, 3: 229.
[34] BISWAS J,SHERIDAN S,PITCHER C,et al. Searching for potential ice-rich mining sites on the Moon with the Lunar Volatiles Scout[J]. Planetary and Space Science,2020,181:104826.
[35] MORSE A. Low CO/CO2 ratios of comet 67P measured at the Abydos landing site by the Ptolemy mass spectrometer[J]. Astron. Astrophys. 2015,583,42.
[36] CHUMIKOV A E, CHEPTSOV V S, MANAGADZE N G. Accuracy of analysis of the elemental and isotopic composition of regolith by laser time-of-flight mass spectrometry in the future Luna-Glob and Luna-Resurs-1 missions[J]. Solar System Research, 2020, 54: 288-294.
[37] CHUMIKOV A E,CHEPTSOV V S,WURZ P,et al. Design,characteristics and scientific tasks of the LASMA-LR laser ionization mass spectrometer onboard Luna-25 and Luna-27 space missions[J]. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry,2021,469:116676.
[38] BARBER S J, SMITH P H, WRIGHT I P, et al. ProSPA: the science laboratory for the processing and analysis of lunar polar volatiles within PROSPECT[C]//Proceedings of 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, The Woodlands, Texas: Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) and Universities Space Research Association, 2017.
[39] COHEN B A,FARRELL W M,BARBER S J,et al. In-situ studies of the lunar water cycle using a CLPS-delivered ion-trap mass spectrometer (PITMS)[C]//Proceedings of Annual Meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group. Washington, DC: Universities Space Research Association (USRA), 2019.
[40] COHEN B A,BARBER S ,FARRELL W M ,et al. The Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer(PITMS):A CLPS-Delivered Ion-Trap Mass Spectrometer for In-Situ Studies of the Lunar Water Cycle[C]//Proceedings of 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The Woodlands,Houston,Texas,USA: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 2020.
[41] BARBER S J. ProSPA: analysis of lunar polar volatiles and ISRU demonstration on the Moon[C]//Proceedings of 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The Woodlands, Texas: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 2018.
[42] EMILY T, PHILIPP H. Thermal analysis and early design considerations for ESA's ProSPA package on-board the roscosmos Luna-27 lander[C]//Proceedings of International Conference on Environmental Systems(ICES), 2020, Held Virtually. [S. l.]: ICES Technical Organizing Committees, 2020.
[43] FINZI A E,ZAZZERA F B,DAINESE C,et al. SD2–How to sample a comet[J]. Space science reviews,2007,128:281-299.
[44] WRIGHT I P,SHERIDAN S,BARBER S J,et al. CHO-bearing organic compounds at the surface of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko revealed by Ptolemy[J]. Science,2015,349(6247):aab0673.
[45] WRIGHT I P. Meteorites,Mars and Beagle 2—from novel analysis in the laboratory to pioneering experiments in space[J]. Analyst,2003,128(11):1300-1303.
[46] BALDRIDGE A M,HOOK S J,GROVE C I,et al. The ASTER spectral library version 2.0. [J]. Remote Sensing of Environment, 2009, 113: 711-715.
[47] CLARK R N. Water frost and ice:the near-infrared spectral reflectance 0.65-2.5 l m[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 1988,B4: 3087-3096.
[48] RICHTER L,DEIML M,GLIER M,et al. Development of the VOILA LIBS instrument for volatiles scouting in polar regions of the Moon[C]//Proceedings of SPIE 11852,International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2020,118521I. Dubrovnik: Croatia, European Space Agency, 2021.
[49] VOGT D S,SCHRÖDER S,RICHTER L,et al. VOILA on the LUVMI-X Rover:Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for the Detection of Volatiles at the Lunar South Pole[J]. Sensors, 2022,22,9518.
[50] JIA Y Z. Research of Lunar Water-Ice and Exploration for China’s Future Lunar Water-Ice Exploration[J]. Space:Science & Technology,2023,3:0026.
[51] LIU,Y W. Water extraction from icy lunar regolith by drilling-based thermal method in a pilot-scale unit[J]. Acta Astronautica,2023,202:386-399.
PDF(4445 KB)

Accesses

Citations

Detail

Sections
Recommended

/