Mullard Space Science Laboratory Planetary Micro-Penetrators Dr Rob Gowen on behalf of Glyn Collinson 12 6 + international - Germany, France, Austria,

Mullard Space Science Laboratory

PlanetaryMicro-Penetrators

Dr Rob Gowen on behalf of Glyn Collinson

1 26

+ international - Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Poland, Russia, USA


What are kinetic penetrators ?What are kinetic penetrators ?

Penetrator

Point of Separation

Payload Instruments

Detachable Propulsion Stage

PDS (Penetrator

Delivery System)

Low mass projectiles ~2-13Kg

– Lunar A 13.5Kg

– DS-2 3.6Kg

High impact speed ~ 200-500 m/s

Very tough ~10-50kgee

Penetrate surface ~ few metres

Perform importantscience from below surface


Penetrator Mission : Europa


Mars96 (Russia) failed to leave Earth orbit

DS2 (Mars) NASA 1999 ?

Many paper studies and ground trials

No survivable high velocity impacting probe has been successfully landed on any extraterrestrial body

Japanese Lunar-A cancelled (now planned to fly on Russian Lunar Glob)

History


• 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’ !

UK Heritage and Feasibility


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




Prime Planetary Targets


Scientific Objectives - Luna

• Core– Water and volatile detection– Seismology– Accelerometer

• Desirable– Descent camera– Heat Flow– Geochemistry/XRF– Mineralogy– Radiation Monitor


Science – Polar VolatilesA 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

NASA Lunar Prospector

Prototype,

ruggedized ion trap

mass-spectrometer

Open University


A global network of seismometers will tell us: – 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

Science – Lunar Seismology



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.


Enceladus

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)


Titan • ~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 ?)

Fluvial plain

dunes

(Wikipedia)

Cosmic Visions Proposal


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 bidsfor 2 yr development to bring technology ruggedization up to TRL 5.

http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/planetary/missions/Micro_Penetrators.php


End

http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/planetary/missions/Micro_Penetrators.php

MoonLITEMoonLITE Delivery and Comms Spacecraft (Orbiter).

Deliver penetrators to ejection orbit. Deliver penetrators to ejection orbit. provide pre-ejection health status, provide pre-ejection health status, and relay communications.and relay communications.

Orbiter Payload: 4 Descent Probes 4 Descent Probes (each containing 10-15 kg penetrator (each containing 10-15 kg penetrator + 20-25 kg de-orbit and attitude + 20-25 kg de-orbit and attitude control).control).

Landing sites: Globally spaced Globally spaced Far side, Polar region(s), One near Far side, Polar region(s), One near an Apollo landing site for calibration.an Apollo landing site for calibration.

Duration: >1 year for seismic network. >1 year for seismic network. Other science does not require so long Other science does not require so long (perhaps a few Lunar cycles for heat flow (perhaps a few Lunar cycles for heat flow and volatiles much less).and volatiles much less).

Penetrator Design: Single Body for Single Body for simplicity and risk avoidance. Battery powered simplicity and risk avoidance. Battery powered with comprehensive power saving techniqueswith comprehensive power saving techniques..

3

2

1

4

Far side

Polar commsorbiter

Documents

Mullard Space Science Laboratory Planetary Micro-Penetrators Dr Rob Gowen on behalf of Glyn Collinson 12 6 + international - Germany, France, Austria,