The Lunar Resource Pathfinder Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover Daniel Andrews, VIPER PM NASA Ames Research Center Future In-Space Operations (FISO) Seminar Telecon: 09-23-20 1 Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) VIPER Mission Animation: Mission Animation: https://youtu.be/S9Y6n1G5hhc Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 2 Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 3 Why VIPER? 4 The Big Picture of Lunar Resources US Lunar Goals: Orbital Orbital Ground- Ground Resource ISRU & Mining Bulk Observations Prospecting Truthing Prospecting Mapping Demonstrations Production Missions: Clementine V I P E R (future science missions) Lunar Prospector LCROSS Industry LRO Industry Chandrayaan-I VIPER bridges Government and Industry missions, addressing volatiles mapping, in support of the Economic opportunity of the Moon Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 5 Why VIPER? Direct science measurement of polar volatiles • LCROSS ground-truthed the water -VIPER will reveal the lateral / vertical distribution and physical state / composition of the volatiles Enables research into in-situ lunar resources • VIPER will build lunar resource maps, steering the future commercial marketplace • VIPER will reveal ore grade availability of lunar volatiles for human sustainment and fuel • Q: Are some polar regions better than others (feasibility, economics, safety)? Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 6 Where will VIPER explore? VIPER will explore four “Ice Stability Regions” (ISRs)*: • “Surface” - Ice expected stable on the surface (PSR’s**) • “Shallow” - Ice expected stable between 0-50cm of the surface • “Deep” - Ice expected stable between 50-100 cm of the surface • “Dry” - Ice not expected stable (0-100cm too warm to be stable) * ISRs are based on the predicted thermal stability of ice with depth ** PSR = Permanently Shadowed Region Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 7 Comparative Lunar Temperature Ranges • Equatorial regions generally share 14 Earth-day sunlight/darkness balance • Polar regions have “seasons” of light and dark, with local topography defining local lighting within a season • With no moderating atmosphere, the temp extremes are extraordinary: 300 degK 30 degK 27 degC -243 degC 80 degF -406 degF Nobile Crater Region PSR Temperatures Nobile Crater Region Sunlit Temperatures 8 VIPER Science Specs • Mission Duration: 100+ earth days • Instruments: Neutron, Near-IR, and Mass Specs; 1m Drill • Detectable H2O Concentration: 0.5% (by weight) • Drill Depth: 1m (~3ft) • # of Subsurface Assays (drill sites): 30-40 (18min) • Dark Survivability: 70hrs (TBR) (VIPER driving • PSR Working Duration (w/drill): ~8hrs energy case) • Distance Travelled (goal): 20km (~12mi) • Surface Traverse Plan baselined: @CDR (Q2/FY21) Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 9 VIPER Performance Specs • Rolling Mass: ~430kg (948lbs) • Power (peak): ~450W (corner-facing) or 320W per array • Comunications: X-band • 256kbps (DTE min.) / 2kbps (DFE min.) 1 • 6-15[s] round-trip latency • Ground: DSN 34m dishes: Canberra, Goldstone, Madrid • Dimensions: 1.7m x 1.7m x 2.5m (5ft x 5ft x 8ft) • Wheel Diameter: 0.5[m] (20in) • Steering: Explicit steer; adjustable suspension • Top Speed: “Rails Driving” @ 20cm/s (0.5MPH) • Prospecting Speed: 10cm/s (0.25MPH) • Waypoint Driving: 4.5m (15ft) command distance • Fault response: Loss of Signal automated reverse motion • Camera Look-ahead: 8m (26ft) • Obstacles / Slopes: 20cm (8in) / 15deg • Expected Cold Environment: ~40K (-390degF) 1 DTE = Direct-To-Earth / DFE = Direct-From-Earth Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 10 The VIPER Operational Plan 11 The NASA CLPS program has selected Astrobotic Technology, (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) for delivery of VIPER to the lunar South Pole in late-2023 aboard their Griffin Lander Image courtesy of Astrobotic Technology Press Kit 1212 VIPER Surface Ops KSC MSOLO JSC Rover Systems ARC MOC, SOC, Science Waypoints ~4.5m Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 13 Prospecting & Subsurface Activities (drilling) Prospecting: NSS, NIRVSS & MSolo • NSS, NIRVSS & MSolo take Surface Temperature data continuously while roving or parked Epithermal neutron • count rate NSS Neutron flux variations identify abundance and H2O/OH Band Strength burial depth of hydrogenous materials • NIRVSS NIR surface Frosts / OH reflectance identifies surface and excavated hydration • MSolo detects subliming gasses (H2 or H2O vapor) identify surface and excavated hydration • TRIDENT excavates subsurface materials/ice Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 14 VIPER Mission Phases Descent & Landing Pre-launch Post-landing Checkout Launch & Ascent Egress Full Success Decomissioning/PDS-Delivery Lunar Lunar Transfer Surface Operations (Up to 100 days) Post- Flight Orbit Leg 3 Hours 5 days 5 days Leg 1 Safe Haven Leg 2 Safe Haven Leg 3 Safe Haven 6 Months 4 Mission Mission Wheels on the surface • Surface Ops consist of periods of activity (traverse “Legs”) and periods of inactivity (“Safe Haven”) • Traverse Legs are in view of Earth and sun (except for planned shadow (PSR) ops (<8 hours)) • Safe Havens are NOT in view of Earth, but in view of sun, with periods of sun shadow (<70hrs hibernation) • Lunar Day = one Traverse Leg + one Safe Haven • Mission Success: • Minimum Mission Success planned by end of Lunar Day 1 • Full Mission Success planned by end of Lunar Day 2 • Lunar Days 3 (and 4 if possible) offer either contingency time, or improved science data Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 15 Science Station Activities A Science Station is an area of activity within any of the ISR’s being characterized • Requires sufficient areal coverage • Drill three times, with at least one subsurface temperature measurement Science Station Rails Safe Haven Rails Rails PSR Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 16 The VIPER “Surface Segment” (Roving Instrument Platform) 17 VIPER Surface Segment (Rover + Instruments) Subsurface excavation Situational Awareness & Comm TRIDENT Drill Nav Cams (1pr) Lights (1pr) Localization Antenna Mast Star tracker Situational Awareness Heat Rejection Aft Cams (1pr) Radiator (on top) Rover Control Situational Awareness Flight Avionics (internal) Hazard Cams (2 cams x 2 sides) Prospecting Neutron Spectrometer Power System (NSS) Instrument Solar Array (3-sides) Prospecting & Evaluation Prospecting & Evaluation Mass Spectrometer Near Infrared Volatiles Observing Lunar Operations Spectrometer System (MSolo) Instrument (NIRVSS) Instrument Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 1818 VIPER vs ISS vs Mars Rovers No real time interaction Real time Science Time-delayed science Real time interaction High Latency (>8 min round trip) Natural Terrain Med latency (10-30s round trip) Long Mission Command sequencing Med Mission duration duration Continuous comms Extreme lighting and shadowing Intermittent High Tempo operations Comms Low Latency (<2 s round trip) Periods of good lighting/ Direct Semi-structured limited shadowing teleoperation Environment Low tempo operation ISS EVA Robotics Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 19 VIPER Science Manifest The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT) HBR1 • Excavates lunar regolith to a depth of 1-meter, in 10cm increments • Measures forces, displacements and temperatures for regolith bulk properties • Located under the center of the rover to minimize volatiles solar sublimation Neutron Spectrometer System (NSS) NASA-ARC • Prospects for hydrogen-rich materials while roving, mapping the distributions • Located on the front of the rover to have an unobstructed view of the lunar surface Near InfraRed Volatiles Spectrometer System (NIRVSS) NASA-ARC • Prospects for surface water “frosts” and evaluates excavated materials • Located under the rover studying water/volatiles abundance while roving & drilling Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo) NASA-KSC • Analyzes sublimed & excavated volatiles, while rover is traversing and drilling • Located under the rover studying water/volatiles abundance while roving & drilling 1 HBR = HoneyBee Robotics Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 20 (Augmented) credit: historicspacecraft.com (1996): (2004): (2011): •0.6m x0.5m x0.3m •1.6m x2.3m x1.5m •3.0m x2.8m x2.1m • 11kg • 180kg* • 900kg • Top Speed: 5cm/s • Top Speed: 5cm/s • Top Speed: 4cm/s •Plutonium-238 RHUs •Plutonium-238 RHUs •Plutonium-238 MMRTG 1 & 2 (1970 / 1973): (1971 / 1972): Yutu (2013 / 2019): VIPER (2023): • 1.3M x1.6m x1.5m, 840kg • 1.3M x1.6m x1.5m, 840kg • 1.5m x1.1m, 140kg • 1.7m x1.7m x2.0m, 430kg • Top Speed: 55cm/s • Top Speed: 500cm/s • 5cm/s • Top Speed: 20cm/s • Polonium-210 heat source •Plutonium-238 RHUs • Electric heaters only Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 2121 VIPER Analogue Testing: Mission Animation: https://youtu.be/F_qYYE3i2ww Information contained in this presentation is not subject to Export Controls (ITAR/EAR) 22 Questions? 23.