Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017) 1709.pdf Payload Design For The Lunar Flashlight Mission. B. A. Cohen1, P. O. Hayne2, B. T. Greenhagen3, D. A. Paige4, J. M. Camacho2, K. Crabtree5, C. Paine2, R. G. Sellar5; 1NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville AL 35812 (
[email protected]), 2Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA 91109, 3Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel MD 20723, 4UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, 5 Photon Engineering, Tucson AZ 85711. Introduction: Recent reflectance data from LRO lengths in rapid sequence, while a receiver system de- instruments suggest water ice and other volatiles may tects the reflected light. Derived reflectance and water be present on the surface in lunar permanently- ice band depths will be mapped onto the lunar surface shadowed regions, though the detection is not yet de- in order to identify locations where H2O ice is present finitive [1-3]. Understanding the composition, quanti- at or above 0.5 wt% concentration. ty, distribution, and form of water and other volatiles In the past year, we have advanced the design for associated with lunar permanently shadowed regions the Lunar Flashlight payload to meet our measurement (PSRs) is identified as a Strategic Knowledge Gap requirement within the limited mass and power availa- (SKG) for NASA’s human exploration program. These ble for the instrument system. We optimized the laser polar volatile deposits are also scientifically interest- wavelengths for maximum sensitivity to water ice ab- ing, having potential to reveal important information sorption bands. The selected wavelengths are 1.064 (- about the delivery of water to the Earth-Moon system.