Lunar Tethered Resource Explorer (Lunar T-REx)
Abstract
Lunar Tethered Resource Explorer (Lunar T-REx) is a SmallSat mission concept that aims to significantly improve the characterization of crustal magnetic fields at the Moon, which would be highly enabling for both science and exploration. It would measure magnetic fields at very low altitudes (<20 km) with the science goals of: (i) determining the origin and depth of magnetized material, (ii) understanding the effect of impacts on crustal magnetism, tectonism and volcanism, and (iii) examining the role of crustal fields on space weathering and swirl formation. Such measurements would also facilitate the search for resources. On Earth, economically viable mineralization associated with large impact craters and igneous features can often be identified by magnetic signatures observed close to the surface. On the Moon, many large Nectarian-aged impact features have prominent magnetic features associated with their central peak regions that may contain signatures of economic mineralization - if measured at very low altitudes. However, low altitude lunar orbits (<50 km) are very unstable, and without regular orbit maintenance last only a few weeks or less. A mission surveying crustal fields would need at least a few months, conventionally the fuel mass required would be prohibitive, especially for SmallSats. Alternatively, Lunar T-REx would use two SmallSat buses connected by a tether that orbit in a vertically-aligned gravity gradient formation. The advantages of this architecture include very low altitude measurements from stable orbits that provide long mission lifetimes. The primary payload would be mini-magnetometers making dual-point (high and low altitude) measurements enabling more accurate crustal field determinations. Lunar T-REx leverages the PSDS3/BOLAS mission concept study, which used two EPSA-class SmallSats connected by a 25 km tether with the formation center-of-mass in a "frozen" orbit that was stable for >1 year. At closest approach, the lower spacecraft was only 2 km from the surface, and regularly surveyed the primary science target, the Gerasimovich crustal field region, at altitudes <12 km. The BOLAS concept was shown to be feasible with only modest investments required to advance the game-changing technologies needed for tethered lunar missions with a wide variety of applications.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFM.A41U2680S
- Keywords:
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- 0399 General or miscellaneous;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 1699 General or miscellaneous;
- GLOBAL CHANGE;
- 7599 General or miscellaneous;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY;
- 7899 General or miscellaneous;
- SPACE PLASMA PHYSICS