A Lunar L2-Farside Exploration and Science Mission with the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and a Teleoperated Lander/Rover
- Paper ID
12193
- author
- company
Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research, University of Colorado; Lunar and Planetary Institute; Lockheed Martin Space Systems; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Jet Propulsion Laboratory - California Institute of Technology;
- country
United States
- year
2012
- abstract
We will describe a novel concept for a human mission to the lunar L2 (Lagrange) point that will be a proving ground for future exploration missions to deep space while also overseeing scientifically important investigations. In an L2 halo orbit above the lunar farside, the astronauts will travel 15\% farther from Earth than did the Apollo astronauts and spend almost three times longer in deep space. Such missions would validate the Orion MPCV’s life support systems for shorter durations, would demonstrate the high-speed reentry capability needed for return from deep space, and would measure astronauts’ radiation dose from cosmic rays and solar flares to verify that Orion provides sufficient protection, as it is designed to do. On this mission, the astronauts will teleoperate a lander and rover on the lunar farside, which would obtain samples from the geologically interesting farside and deploy a lunar low frequency radio telescope. Sampling the South Pole Aitkin basin (the oldest impact basin in the inner solar system) is a key science objective of the 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey as is observations of the Universe’s first stars/galaxies at low frequencies as described in the 2010 Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Such telerobotic oversight would also demonstrate capability for future, more complex deep space missions.