Lunar Surface Science Workshop 2020 (LPI Contrib. No. 2241) 6016.pdf

INTREPID: LONG RANGE LUNAR ROVER ENABLING SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION. M. S. Robin- son1, P. Mahanti1, J.O. Elliott2, and the Intrepid Team. 1School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State Univer- sity, Tempe, AZ ([email protected]), 2Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Introduction: The Decadal Survey (DS) [1] and the Moon. Finally, Intrepid will investigate a newly Lunar Exploration Roadmap (LER) [2] outline critical discovered type of volcanic landform, Irregular Mare science and exploration measurements needed from the Patches (IMP), which may represent very young (<100 lunar surface. Recent spacecraft (i.e., LRO, LP, Kaguya, my) volcanism. Chandrayaan, GRAIL, LADEE and others) were Science Measurements: Over a nominal four year designed to provide key information about potential mission Intrepid can investigate over a hundred major landing sites, identify potential resources, and (and over a 1000 minor) scientific sites over a ~2000 km characterize lunar geology. However, ground truth is traverse (as well as observations obtained while in mo- required to tie these remote sensing datasets to physical tion) [3]. This type of comprehensive data collection en- characteristics and fulfill the DS and LER objectives. ables Intrepid to address many key scientific outstand- Thus we propose a long range lunar rover, Intrepid, to ing science objectives, including: collect essential measurements to address key scientific • Determine nature of magnetic anomalies and swirls and exploration questions as well as support human • Determine magma evolution over time exploration of the Moon. • Determine ray formation mixing systematics Intrepid offers the flexibility and the capability to • Determine the nature and extent of pyroclastic vol- perform wide-scale investigations that characterize the canism (bulk volatile content of mantle) composition and properties of rocks and regolith over • Investigate changes (since 2009) to the surface 100s of square kilometers addressing key science and • Determine the composition across multiple terranes exploration objectives. For example, with respect to • Test hypothesis of young volcanism studies designed to address in-situ resource utilization • Inventory H abundance (ISRU) mobility allows assessment of grade and Investigate compositional and textural heterogenei- tonnage of an ore body – essential information for • ties within a single orbital remote sensing pixel planning. Current Mission Concept: Intrepid will traverse Exploration Opportunities: In addition to provid- [3] four Gyr of magmatic history revealing the nature ing Decadal level science measurements, Intrepid will and evolution of mantle source regions. Intrepid is provide measurements essential for future human mis- required to drive autonomously up to 1 km/hr for sions to the lunar surface, including: sustained periods (>4 hrs.) and perform autonomous • Detect, assay, and map potential resources (identify- measurement activities. We baselined an instrument ing and quantifying ISRU potential). suite consisting of a multispectral stereo imaging • Quantify the nature of dust, its environments, and in- system, a narrow angle monochrome camera, hand lens teractions with systems. imager, APXS, GRNS, magnetometer, visible near- • Measure the radiation environment (primary and sec- infrared reflectance spectrometer, electrostatic analyzer ondary) present on the lunar surface. and a radiation environment sensor. Intrepid will touch • Collect documented samples over a wide area and de- down fifty kilometers south of the Reiner Gamma liver to astronauts magnetic anomaly and traverse across and along the • Assist astronauts during surface operations (and while swirl collecting a suite of measurements to definitively astronauts are sleeping) test origin hypotheses for the anomaly and swirl. Participatory Exploration: The proposed Intrepid Intrepid will then continue on to the Marius Hills rover has outstanding opportunities for immersive pub- volcanic complex where it will investigate cones, flows, lic engagement with both passive (live high-definition and putative ash deposits. The observations collected video streams, 3-D surface panoramas, and daily views here will not only explain the unique clustering of of Earth) and participatory (remote rover driving and landforms but also provide insight to large scale imaging, collective data analysis, and communication magmatic processes. Next, Intrepid will head north via social media) participation throughout the two-year across 1.5 Gyr old lunar mare deposits, acquiring nominal mission. Intrepid operations and data analysis compositional observations of the mare and rays from will also help develop NASA’s future workforce (un- Aristarchus crater (AC) that cross the region. Once on dergraduates, graduates, and postdocs). the Aristarchus plateau Intrepid will investigate the largest pyroclastic deposit on the Moon prospecting for References: [1] Committee on the Planetary Science H deposits. After the plateau, Intrepid will traverse the Decadal Survey; National Research Council, 2011 [2] rim of the AC, assessing one of the most LEAG Exploration Roadmap (2011) [3] Robinson et al. compositionally and geologically diverse regions of the (2020, submitted) Intrepid PMCS Report.