Science is on its way back to the Moon

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Science is on its way back to the Moon
LUNAR SCIENCE OVERVIEW Dr. Jim Garvin Chief
Scientist NASAs Goddard Space Flight
Center Jan. 29, 2008
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The Exploration Roadmap
The Context for Lunar Science Program 2008
2020
Lunar Outpost Buildup
1st Human CEV Flight
7th Human Lunar Landing
Robotic Precursors
Mars Development
Commercial Crew/Cargo for ISS
Space Shuttle
CEV Development
Crew Launch Development
Lunar Lander Development
Lunar Heavy Launch Development
Earth Departure Stage Development
Surface Systems Development
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Science is on its way back to the Moon
Chandrayaan-1 (India, NASA SMD)
Kaguya (Selene) (JAXA)
LRO 2008-2010 (NASA ESMD-SMD)
GRAIL 2011-2012 (NASA SMD)
?
Human Exploration!
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The Moon as a Unique Vantage Point for Solar
System Exploration (from NRC, LEAG)

• FINDING The Moon offers a unique vantage point
  for certain aspects of Solar System exploration
• Cornerstone for Early Planetary Processes
• Volatile Record and Reservoirs
• Testbed for Scientific Exploration of the Solar
  System
• Astrobiology

• Cornerstone for Early Planetary Processes (one
  example)
• Preserves the remnants of one style of planetary
  differentiation Magma Ocean.
• Illustrates a style of early planetary asymmetry
  that is related to early differentiation
  processes.
• Illustrates a pathway of planetary evolution that
  is related to a style of planetary accretion and
  differentiation.
• Illustrates the full crustal formational and
  magmatic history of a cooling planetary body.
• Recorded and preserved the early impact
  environment of the inner solar system.
• Interactions between a planetary surface and
  space are preserved in the lunar regolith.

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A Lunar Exploration-Enabled Science Approach
Seek, In-Situ, Sample
RESPONSIVE to DISCOVERIES
SEEK Orbital Reconnaissance

• Where to look
• How to test
• The context
• The foundation datasets (g, z, composition, space
  Wx, atmosphere, dust)

SAMPLE Return rock and soil samples
Lunar Systems Science The Context for Unique
Solar System Records (Moon)
IN-SITU (surface) Experiments and Reconnaissance

• Ground-truthing
• Surface reconnaissance
• Understanding the dust, atmosphere
• Subsurface access
• In situ age determination?

• Definitive testing of hypotheses (ages)
• Experiments to test biological adapation?

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LRO Future missions
Lunar South Polar Region Large
Discovery Potential awaits (volatiles,
T, geochem, topo)
LP NS atop Clementine Imaging, Topo.
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High Priority Lunar Objectives (from NRC/adapted)

• Overarching Lunar Objectives
• Understand the origin of the Moon (in context)
• Understand the records the Moon uniquely
  preserves (today)
• Understand collisional processes on
  atmosphere-less objects (as fn of g)
• Understand aspects of the history of the Sun (as
  can be preserved)
• Origin and Evolution of Life
• Geochemical and physical context for the origin
  of life (early planetary crusts)
• Role of exogenic volatiles in the origin of life
  (and their delivery)
• Role of basin-scale cosmic collisions in the
  origin of life on Earth
• Preservation of early Earth crustal materials on
  the Moon
• Geology (Solid Planet)
• Origin and geochemical evolution of a silicate
  planetary crust in 3D
• Interaction of lunar interior with crust, from
  the core on out
• Understanding magmatic/volcanic history of the
  Moon in space and time
• Understanding geologic materials as resources for
  human spaceflight
• Understanding cosmic collisions and ballistic
  sedimentation and impact melts

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Lunar Science Traceability Example (notional)
(Derived from TEMPE Mtg and NRC SCEM 07
findings)
Lunar Pathway Theme
Science Focus
Pursuits
Activities
Vantage Point
Evolution of the Solar System (via preserved
lunar record)
Chronology and Timing of Major Solar System
Events on the Moon
Absolute Age Determination of Key Events on the
Moon via in situ methods

• SPA Basin
• Tycho
• Youngest Volcanics

How Did We Get Here?
Adaptability of Humans in Space
Impact of Space Environment (g, Rad, SPEs)
Measurement of Genomic Responses to Space
Radiation, lunar-Gravity

• Lunar Surface
• LDEF on Moon

Where Are We Going?
Sustainability and Habitability of Earth (via
lunar records)
Impact of Anthroprogenic vs. Natural Forcings
on Earth System
Measurement of climate records tied to suns
history in undisturbed lunar regolith

• Mare regolith
• Tycho melt sheet and regolith

Are We Alone?
Life Beyond the Planet of Origin
Origin of C, H, O, N, P, S Based Life in the
Solar System (via lunar records)
Detection of Life-Signs or Bio-markers in
earliest lunar crustal or subcrustal materials
(Earth rx?)

• SPA Basin
• Orientale
• Trapped volatiles in impact melts?

THE MOON REALLY MATTERS IN PLANETARY SCIENCE !
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Lunar Exploration-Enabled Science One Example
Example Interlinked Science Themes
Thematic Objectives
The Moon as an Astrobiological target (basins,
early crustal genesis, role of early volatiles,
etc)
3D characteristics of regolith in time and
impact flux (with chronology) Includes
linkages to Earth, Mars, Mercury
Dynamics and history of unique environments on
Moon (polar, sub-crustal rocks and chemistry,
volcanism, atmos./dust)
Develop an understanding of the Moon in support
of human exploration (hazards, topography,
navigation, temperatures, environs, dust, Space
Weather, electrostatic, Resources)
Lunar NAC workshop and NRC SCEM developed the
framework
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Lunar Exploration-Enabled Science at NASA
SMD/ESMD are developing this now
NRC lunar priorities (Tempe NAC, 2007, NRC SCEM
2007)
Hypothesis driven (SMD)
Small, robotic science pathfinders
Hitch-hikers, Carriers, Suitcases
Lunar Science missions
LRO
Human-capability driven (SMD, ESMD, SOMD)
Discovery driven (SMD, ESMD)
Science on human missions
New, VSE enabled science
Human on-site Activities
NASA Lunar Missions support all 3 aspects of
integrated scientific exploration
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National Academy of Sciences NRC SS Decadal
(2003) lists priorities for the MOON (mission
possibilities)
NRC Priority Investigation NRC approach LEESP Notional implementation
Geodetic Topography (crustal evolution) Altimetry from orbit (with precision orbits) LROs LOLA via extended mission orbital InSAR experiments (future)
Local Geologic Studies In 3D (geol. Evolution) Imaging, topography (at m scales) LROs LROC in extended mission descent and landed stereo imaging (future)
Polar Volatile Inventory Spectroscopy and mapping from orbit LROs LEND/miniRF in extended mission in situ volatile reconnaissance via landed systems (future)
Geophysical Network (interior evolution) In situ landed stations with seismometers Initial geophysical network via small landed stations (ILN) orbital gravity mission (GRAIL)
Global Mineralogical Mapping (crustal evolution) Orbital hyperspectral mapping Chandrayaan-1 MMM extended operations landed/roving mineralogy mission (future)
Targeted Studies to Calibrate Impact Flux (chronology) Imaging and in situ geochronology/ Sample return LROC extended mission in situ radiometric age determination on lander/rover/hopper or subsurface drill (future) robotic sample return?
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What the Moon can deliver for science
Science Question Compelling Desirable Maybe
Water ice in protected lunar soils YES may relate to source of water on early Earth and pre-biotic chemicals
Rocks from lunar mantle (deep beneath surface) YES unique window on how planets crusts work and evolved to permit life
Timing of key impact events on Moon (i.e, Tycho etc.) YES chronology of last 3 billion years of Earth-Moon system poorly constrained
Source of resources such as oxygen fuel Maybe in future, once Helium and ice abundances inventoried (Recon)
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The Moon NASA is already contributing via HST
Hubble UV views of Aristarchus Crater, where
unique deposits can be isolated
Red gt 10 wt. TiO2
Calibrated I/F
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The Moon is a spectacular, unique natural
laboratory for science
Shorty Crater at Apollo 17 (Taurus Littrow)
fresh lunar simple crater!
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Exploration as a new Science context
Apollo
MER Oppty
Human/Robotic Spaceflight to the Moon will
catalyze new science
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BACKUPS

• Dr. J. Garvin

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Lunar Science Investigations One
Viewpoint(derived from NRC SCEM)
Moon as an Integrated System
Hierarchy
R O L E O F IMPACTS?
Goals
Volatiles
Environments
Geology
Objectives
Sources/Sinks
Global Compositional Units
Investigations
Interactions (with solar wind)
Measurements
Measure H, H2O
Measure Dust, Atmos.


Global Stratigraphy
REDOX
Polar Regolith evolution


Measure Reactivity polar soil
Absolute Chronology
3D Structure of atmosphere

Migration pathways?
NASA SMD and ESMD are developing an
integrated plan

Interior Structure

Electrostatics
Exogenic volatiles?