briefing topic: potential locations for neo mission simulations, black point lava flow ... ·...

Kring/Space Sciences 2010Lunar Exploration Initiative

Briefing Topic:

Potential Locations for NEO Mission Simulations, Black Point Lava Flow, Arizona

David A. Kring

Analogue Mission Simulations


Analogue Mission Simulations

Contents:

• Previous BPLF Mission Simulations 3

• Suitability for Future Mission Simulations 7

• Physical Parameters of an NEO Mission Simulation 8

• Three Potential Sites for NEO Mission Simulations 13

• Summary 37

• Conclusions 39


Background of BPLF Mission Simulations

Formative Flight Era

In 1969, four test areas near Flagstaff were developed, including the eastern lobe of the Black Point Lava Flow.

Modern Era

NASA returned to the Black Point Lava Flow (BPLF) area in 2008-2010 for a series of planetary surface mission simulations through Joe Kosmo’s Desert RATS program.


Recent BPLF Simulations

2008

Unpressurized (UPR Chariot)vs

Pressurized Rover (SPR)

~40 km

2008 Test Area



~40 km

2009

14-day-long Mission Simulationwith

Lunar Electric Rover (LER)

2009 Test Area



2010

Simulation of Dual-LER Operationsduring a 28-day-long mission near the

Malapert Massif (South Pole-Aitken Basin)

~40 km

2010 Test Area


Looking Forward

The expanded BPLF test region, defined for the 2010 simulations, is sufficiently large to accommodate several complex missions scenarios.

• Multiple sortie-type mission scenarios• Multiple 28-day-long mission scenarios using assets deployed from a common base• A very-long-duration traverse mission• Multiple mixtures of robotic and crewed assets• Integrated tests of technology, operational equipment, and human assets that are relevant to all planetary surface mission scenarios and apply as easily to the Moon as to future Mars missions

Furthermore, the BPLF test region can continue to be expanded westward, as outlined in Kring’s briefing of 9 September 2009, if additional acreage is needed.

It also has the capacity to serve the operational needs of several fixed or anchored assets, limited mobility assets, and/or missions that target small areas (e.g., NEO).


Physical Parameters of an NEO Test Area

NEO Mission Simulation Criteria – Physical Constraints• Relatively small area (~1 km2)

• Near-Earth asteroids come in all sizes, but the smaller ones are more common and are, thus, more likely to be in the orbits suitable for rendezvous

• Contain a relatively flat area for simulated landing or anchoring• Yet, have sufficient topographic contrast to test short-distance “over the horizon” concepts that characterize asteroid surfaces• Reasonable surface terrain

• NEO can have cratered surfaces that provide several topographic lows and highs, so an area with a basin will be ideal• NEO may also have boulder-strewn surfaces, so a distribution of boulders will be ideal• NEO may have linear terrain features, so an area with a gully or ravine would augment the site

Test Criteria• Accessible to support vehicles and staff


Views of an NEO

Example of NEA topography

• Eros

• The first discovered near-Earth asteroid

• 34 x 11 x 11 km in size

• A mosaic of images highlights the north polar region of the asteroid

• The Earth’s Meteor Crater is approximately the same size as the crater in the center field of view

• The crater in the upper saddle is about 5.3 km in diameter


Views of an NEO


• Eros

• Image taken from an altitude of38 km by the NEAR spacecraft in2000

• Field of view is 0.9 km across

• This perspective looks down the length of the asteroid, illustrating undulating topography as one moves from the foreground, to a middle distance, and onward to the far field.


Views of an NEO


• Eros

• Image taken from an altitude of51 km by the NEAR spacecraft in2000

• Field of view is 1.4 km across

• A valley occurs in the middledistance, followed by a steep wallin the background

• The valley is roughly 5 km across


Geologic Caveats

The Colorado Plateau (and the BPLF test site) is not an NEO• Many (if not most) NEO encountered will be undifferentiated primitive solar nebula sediments and, thus, composed of materialunlike anything in the BPLF region• Some NEO will be composed of metallic Fe,Ni-alloys, similar to those in the Earth’s core, which are not exposed in the BPLF region• There is only a small population of NEO from differentiated parent bodies, including those with lava flows, that have a modest geologic similarity to the lava flows and pyroclastics in the BPLF region• The dominant geologic process affecting NEO and their parent bodies is impact cratering, which produces types of rocks and terrain features lacking in the BPLF region, except in the degraded explosion crater field created by the Apollo program on the east margin of the Black Point Lava Flow

Although the BPLF test site can be meaningfully used to test hardware deployment and operational protocols (including sample description and collection), its analogy to the surface of an NEO has its limits.


Geologic Map for Simulations

USGS – Skinner et al. (2010)


Options for NEO Simulations

Pocket on North Side of BPLF

Spider (or Hot Dog) Hill& Adjacent Basin

Colton Crater


Option: Pocket on North Side of BPLF

Topographic Map View

This location was visited by crew and the LER in the 2009 mission simulation.

We know it is accessible and satisfies the other operational constraints, including over-the-horizon limitations.20 ft contours



Geologic Map view


We know it is accessible and satisfies the other operational constraints, including over-the-horizon limitations.



Satellite view



Image from pre-traverse briefing 2009



Satellite view



“basins”



Satellite view



Ridges limiting the horizon



Ground level view





Colton Crater


Option: Spider (“hot dog”) Hill


This location was visited by crew and the LER in the 2008, 2009, and 2010 mission simulations.


20 ft contours



Geologic Map view

This location was visited by crew and the LER in the 2008, 2009, and 2010 mission simulations.




“Hot Dog” Hill



Good outcrop for sampling



A basin lurks behind the hill



With cobbled surface in ravine





Colton Crater


Option: Colton Crater


This location was visited by crew and the SEV in the 2010 mission simulation.




Geologic Map view

This location was visited by crew and the SEV in the 2010 mission simulation.


The geology is more complex than the map colors might suggest.


Layered volcanic deposits

Hikearizona.com


Plus several geologic surprises


15 m tuff

25 m cinders

7.5 m basalt flow

27.5 m cinders

75 m of total section measured by Cummings (1972)



Late stage cinder cone(6 m high)

Hikearizona.com




Visited by crews during the 2010 simulations



Astronaut Stan Love at Colton Crater 2010

NASA Desert RATS


Summary



Colton Crater

This is a target-rich area for NEO simulations…


Summary



Colton Crater

…that takes advantage of our experience in the area & existing infrastructure


Conclusions

For 2011, the expanded BPLF test region is suitable for:• Complex planetary surface mission simulations like those envisioned for the Moon and Mars• Mission simulations to smaller exploration targets (e.g., NEO)• And the test area is sufficiently large that both types of mission simulations can be run in parallel if needed, although a sensible serial sequence can be designed that uses a partial overlap of assets.

Any questions can directed to:David A. Kring, Ph.D.USRA-LPICenter for Lunar Science and Exploration (an NLSI Team)Houston, [email protected]

briefing topic: potential locations for neo mission simulations, black point lava flow ... ·...

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