Session
Frank J. Redd Student Competition
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
NASA's Artemis program focuses on the water resources on the Moon. As lunar exploration probes with high spatial resolutions can identify potential drilling points on the lunar surface, this study proposes a mission that focuses on neutrons generated by galatic cosmic rays that leak into space and contain information regarding the amount of water within the lunar subsurface. Neutron detectors used in previous lunar exploration mission probes have encountered challenges in achieving both high spatial resolution and statistical reliability. To overcome these challenges, the proposed mission satellite is equipped with the world's first imager proposed for thermal neutrons. The satellite aims to achieve the highest spatial resolution of 5 km and provide results with sufficient statistical reliability using lightweight optics. Furthermore, the satellite measures the lifetime of neutrons, and the results are compared with those obtained using two established methods on the ground. To accomplish these tasks, a 50-kg lunar orbiter is conceptually designed after several design iterations, including detailed simulations of the subsystems. The satellite observes water distribution from a lunar polar frozen orbit over a one-year mission period.
Moon Orbiter "Izumi" for Lunar Water Exploration
Utah State University, Logan, UT
NASA's Artemis program focuses on the water resources on the Moon. As lunar exploration probes with high spatial resolutions can identify potential drilling points on the lunar surface, this study proposes a mission that focuses on neutrons generated by galatic cosmic rays that leak into space and contain information regarding the amount of water within the lunar subsurface. Neutron detectors used in previous lunar exploration mission probes have encountered challenges in achieving both high spatial resolution and statistical reliability. To overcome these challenges, the proposed mission satellite is equipped with the world's first imager proposed for thermal neutrons. The satellite aims to achieve the highest spatial resolution of 5 km and provide results with sufficient statistical reliability using lightweight optics. Furthermore, the satellite measures the lifetime of neutrons, and the results are compared with those obtained using two established methods on the ground. To accomplish these tasks, a 50-kg lunar orbiter is conceptually designed after several design iterations, including detailed simulations of the subsystems. The satellite observes water distribution from a lunar polar frozen orbit over a one-year mission period.
