Helios-Lune Tranquillitas:
Artemis III Exploration Mission
& Retrieval of Solar Activity Records
Ciara Brown
M.Thangavelu, Conductor
ASTE527 Space Concepts Studio
Department of Astronautical Engineering
Viterbi School of Engineering
December 14th, 2022
Helios-Lune Tranquillitas
Commercial Artemis III lunar exploration mission to the Mare Tranquillitatis pit crater
Obtaining samples for Earth return and analysis
Tranquillitatis Pit Sampling Locations
Location 1: Sunlit Wall
Tranquillitatis Pit Sampling Locations
Location 2: Talus Pile
Helios-Lune Tranquillitas
Commercial Artemis III lunar exploration mission to the Mare Tranquillitatis pit crater
Obtaining samples for Earth return and analysis
Observation and scientific exploration of the lunar pit crater
Solar Activity Records (SAR) imprinted on the dormant moon are imperative for creation of reliable Earth Climate Change model
Mission Rationale: Artemis Plan
Mission Rationale: Policy & Exploration
US Space Policy
“Robust, innovative and commercial space sector”
US Space Policy & NASA Strategic Objective
“Extend human economic activity in deep space”
NASA Exploration NGOs:
[Need] “Advance US scientific, security and economic interests throughout robust programs of (a) science, (b) aeronautics and (c) space exploration”
[Goal] “Extend human presence across the solar system”
* Distances not to scale
~ 5 miles
Stage 1: Lunar Lander Touchdown
* Distances not to scale
Stage 2: Pressurized Rover Deployment
* Distances not to scale
Stage 3: Axel Rover Deployment
* Not to scale
Stage 4: Axel Rover Rappel
* Not to scale
External Tether
Material (TBD)
Tether Description
Internal Fiber Optic Cables
[Power & Data]
5 cm
* Not to scale
Stage 5: Talus Pile Sampling
Sample dimensions:
5 cm
5 cm
*not to scale
TBC
* Not to scale
Stage 6: Scientific Observation
Axel Scientific Payload:
Obscurant Penetrating Asynchronous LiDAR [OPAL]
* Not to scale
Stage 6: Scientific Observation
Axel Scientific Payload:
In-situ spectral analysis of samples
Amount and type of chemical elements in top layer of obtained samples
* Not to scale
Stage 6: Scientific Observation
Axel Scientific Payload:
Visualize any underground structures and formations
* Not to scale
Stage 6: Scientific Observation
Axel Scientific Payload:
OPAL to penetrate dust
Lava tube scanning capabilities
Preliminary data on lava tubes as a sustained lunar human habitat
* Not to scale
Stage 7: Axel Ascent
* Distances not to scale
Stage 8: Return to Lunar Lander
Return
Timeline
Day 01
Day 02
Day 03
Day 04
Sample return to Earth
Commercial Human Spaceflight Exploration
(CHASE)
Limitations
Future Research
References & Image Credits
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Kerber, L., Nesnas, I., Keszthelyi, L., Head, J. W., Denevi, B., Hayne, P. O., ... & Parcheta, C. (2018). Moon diver: A discovery mission concept for understanding the history of the mare basalts through the exploration of a lunar mare pit. New Views of the Moon 2-Asia, 2070, 6032.
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References & Image Credits
Reisman, Garrett (2021). ASTE 524 Lecture 2: Human Spaceflight Mission Scope, Design Reference Mission,
Human Rating Requirements, Concept of Operations. University of Southern California.
Robinson, M. S., Thangavelautham, J., Wagner, R., Hernandez, V. A., & Finch, J. (2014, December). Arne-Exploring the Mare Tranquillitatis Pit. In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (Vol. 2014, pp. P11D-02).
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Elsewhere Image Credits: NASA
References & Image Credits
Thank you!