The Moon – A Guiding Light of Space Exploration · 2010-09-28 · Apollo 17, Station 2. 72395. 3.893 ± 0.016 Ga (Dalrymple & Ryder, 1996) The Moon – A Guiding Light of Space

Apollo 17, Station 2

723953.893 ± 0.016 Ga

(Dalrymple & Ryder, 1996)

The Moon –A Guiding Light of Space Exploration

David A. KringUSRA – Lunar and Planetary Institute

Lunar Science PrioritiesNumber one science concept

& highest science priorities

1. The bombardment history of the inner solar system is uniquely revealed on the Moon

a. Test the cataclysm hypothesis by determining the spacing in time of the creation of lunar basins

b. Anchor the early Earth-Moon impact flux curve by determining the age of the oldest lunar basin (South Pole-Aitken Basin)

c. Establish a precise absolute chronology (by measuring ages of representative craters throughout the Moon’s history)

d. Assess the recent impact flux

LunarCataclysm

InnerSolar System

Cataclysm

Current status –Our team and others have analyzed lunar meteorites and found evidence consistent with the hypothesis.

Furthermore, our team and others have analyzed meteoritic samples from Mars and the Asteroid Belt and concluded that the

1. Geochemical fingerprints point to asteroids as the main source of debris

2. Geological fingerprints independently point to the asteroid belt as the source for debris hitting the Moon, Mercury, and Mars

3. Indicating the asteroid belt was sampled in a size- independent manner

4. This suggests that resonances swept through the asteroid belt

5. Which implies that Jupiter’s orbit moved.

6. Thus, analyses of the Moon are revealing details about the accretion and orbital evolution of planets in both the inner and outer solar system

LunarCataclysm

InnerSolar System

Cataclysm

The Moon is the best and most accessible place in the Solar System to study the collisional processes that have shaped all terrestrial planets, including Mars.

Re-analyzing Apollo samples and lunar meteorites to extract new details about the ages of the impact events

Re-analyzing Apollo samples and lunar meteorites to extract new details about the type of objects that hit the Earth- Moon system

And examining the lunar surface to determine where new samples need to be collected to fully test the hypothesis

Through NLSI, a new generation of students and post-doctoral researchers,using a new generation of analytical tools, are

This is the type of large, integrated, multi-disciplinary study,

Involving several institutions,

That can only be accomplished through the a program like the NASA Lunar Science Institute

SchrödingerBasin

(~320 kmDiameter)

Addressing the 1st

and 2nd highest priorities

Schrödinger (320 km)

Kohout et al. (2009); O’Sullivan et al. (2009)

Schrödinger Basinwithin South Pole-Aitken Basin

David A. Kring – LEAG -2010

Schrodingerimpact iithologies

SPA impact lithologies



This single target can virtually bracket the entire basin-forming epoch



Kohout et al. (2009); O’Sullivan et al. (2009)Crater floor fractures

Mare volcanism

Immense pyroclastic deposit





This site can also be used to study farside mare processes, floor-fractured crater processes, and pyroclastic eruptions



Top site within 500 km of South Pole

1a, 2a, 2c, 2d, 3a, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a, 7b, 7c



Fagan et al. (2009)

In parallel with those landing site assessments –

We are training a young generation of scientists so that they can conduct lunar and mars surface operations

and

We are training the astronauts who will be implementing those missions or managing those surface operations

2010 Participants

Jeffrey Balcerski (Case Western Reserve University)David Blair (Purdue University)Matthew Chojnacki (University of Tennessee)Patrick Donohue (University of Notre Dame)Sarah Drummond (University of Tennessee-Knoxville)Joshua Garber (University of California-Davis)Michelle Hopkins (University of Colorado-Boulder)Matthew Huber (University of Vienna)Steven Jaret (Harvard University)Anna Losiak (University of Vienna)Analisa Maier (University of Colorado)Julie Mitchell (University of Houston-Clear Lake)Lissa Ong (University of Arizona)Lillian Ostrach (Arizona State University)Katie O’Sullivan (University of Notre Dame)Ross Potter (Imperial College London)Stuart Robbins (University of Colorado-Boulder)Bhairavi Shankar (University of Western Ontario)Erin Shea (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)Kelsi Singer (Washington University)Michael Sori (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)Sebastian Sturm (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster)Malte Willmes (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster)Michael Zanetti (Washington University)

FIELD TRAINING & RESEARCH PROGRAM AT METEOR CRATER

19 PhD candidates5 MS candidates

TRAINING

Post-doctoral Training

• Studying the Ries Crater, which is an astronaut training site and lunar analogue site

Postdoc Wittmann in front of Bunte Breccia at Gundelsheimer Quarry, Ries impact crater

Geologic Tool Rack

• Hammers• Tongs• Scoop• Sample bags• Sample storage

compartment

• Augmented with LER tools (e.g., for cleaning windows)

EV2 of Crew B removing tool and sample carriage or stand from geologic tool rack at the Black Point Lava Flow test site (2008).

EV2 is conducting a single person EVA; EV1 is conducting IVA from within the LER.


Sample Recovery

• Locating appropriate outcrop based on pre-traverse briefing and real-time discussion with the Science Operations Room

• Describing outcrop to Science Operations Room

• Photodocumenting the outcrop and its geologic context

• Removing sample(s)

• Re-photodocumenting the outcrop to confirm sample location

EV1 and EV2 workt together at Station 2 of a traverse at the Black Point Lava Flow test site (2008). Crew are vocalizing a description of the sample and photo-documenting the outcrop prior to sample collection.


Sample Documentation

• Each suit has a camera thatstreams images

• To be recorded on theLER

• Or captured in theScience OperationsRoom

EV2 of Crew B documenting a basalt sample collected on the N1 Traverse at the Black Point Lava Flow test site (2009). While a sample image is collected, EV2 is vocalizing a description of the sample.

A single station within the Science Operations Room was assigned to capture images and record sample descriptions from both EV1 and EV2.


~40 km

2008

Unpressurized (UPR Chariot)vs

Pressurized Rover (SPR)

~40 km

2009

14-day-long Mission Simulationwith

Lunar Electric Rover (LER)

~40 km

2010

2010

Simulation of Dual-LER Operationsduring a 28-day-long mission near the

Malapert Massif (South Pole-Aitken Basin)

Lunar mission simulation program

At the Black Point Lava Flow• Multiple 1- and 3-day missions with unpressurized and pressurized rovers and crew (2008)• 14-day mission with pressurized Lunar Electric Rover (LER) and crew (2009)

At the expanded Black Point – Colton Crater Site• 14-day mission with 2 LER, crew, other hardware assets and variable communication capabilities (2010) – tests operational concepts to be utilized in 28-day mission to the Malapert Massif at the margin of SPA Basin


Provides an opportunity to test operational strategies that involve crew, mission ops staff, and science ops staff, which has greatly enhanced science & exploration productivity.

Astronauts involved in lunar mission simulations

Geologic traverse and station activities• Mike Gernhardt & Rex Walheim (BPLF 2008)

• Mike Gernhardt, Andy Thomas, & Drew Feustel (BPLF 2009)

• Mike Gernhardt, Stan Love, Stephanie Wilson (BPLF, SP Crater, & Colton Crater 2010)


Upcoming astronaut training activities

Lunar regolith processes – August 2010• New class of astronauts

– Roy Christofferson & Dave Carrier– JSC Lunar Curatorial Facilities

Impact cratering processes – January 2011• New class of astronauts

– Fred Hörz & David Kring– LPI and JSC

Impact cratering processes – Spring 2011• New class of astronauts

– David Kring– Meteor Crater


Serena Aunon – NASAJeanette Epps – NASAJack Fischer – NASA

Michael Hopkins – NASAKjell Lindgren – NASA

Kathleen Rubins – NASAScott Tingle – NASA

Mark Vande Hei – NASAGregory Hiseman – NASA

Jeremy Hansen – CSANorishige Kanai – JAXATakuya Onishi – JAXA

David Saint-Jacques – CSAKimiya Yui – JAXA

Reaching for the Moon and Beyond

Human space exploration is currently represented by the International Space Station (ISS) in low-Earth orbit. The location of the space station is often misunderstood, so it is illustrated with this graphic. The Earth and Moon in the graphic were captured in NASA image PIA10244. The approximate altitude of the ISS above the Earth’s surface is shown. This altitude varies from 173 to 286 miles (278 to 460 km). The ISS is so close to Earth that it constantly looses altitude because of atmospheric drag. Engines on the ISS are episodically fired to repair the orbit. The ISS has flown for over 10 years, beginning in November 1998.

Dr. David A. Kring (USRA – http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/)


Thank you.


Documents

The Moon – A Guiding Light of Space Exploration · 2010-09-28 · Apollo 17, Station 2. 72395. 3.893 ± 0.016 Ga (Dalrymple & Ryder, 1996) The Moon – A Guiding Light of Space