OrbitalHub

NASA’s return to the Moon requires careful preparation. Finding safe landing sites, locating potential resources, and taking measurements of the radiation environment are some of the tasks the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft will perform while in lunar orbit. LRO is an unmanned mission that will create a comprehensive atlas of the moon’s surface and resources.

The data gathered by LRO will be crucial in designing and building a permanent lunar outpost. The data will also be used to reduce the risk and increase the productivity of the future manned missions to the Moon.

The launch of LRO is scheduled for February 2009. An Atlas V rocket launched from the Kennedy Space Center will place the LRO on a transfer trajectory. After 4 days, the spacecraft will reach the Moon and after performing additional orbital maneuvers, it will move into its final orbit. The LRO’s final orbit will be a circular polar orbit 50 kilometers above the lunar surface.

Credits: NASA

The mission is designed to last for one year, with a possible extension. The total mass of the spacecraft is around 1,000 kilograms, of which 500 to 700 kilograms will be the fuel. The power is supplied by articulated solar arrays, and for the peak and eclipse periods a Li-Ion battery is used. The bandwidth of the communication link will be approximately 100-300 Mbps.

The LRO payload is comprised of six scientific instruments and one technology demonstration.

The Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) was built and developed by Boston University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. CRaTER will help explore the lunar radiation environment. The data gathered by measurements will help in the development of protective technologies that will keep future lunar crews safe.

The Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (DLRE) was built and developed by the University of California, Los Angeles and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. DLRE is capable of measuring surface and subsurface temperatures from orbit.

The Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) was built and developed at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. LAMP will be used to map the entire lunar surface in the far ultraviolet spectrum.

Credits: NASA

The Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) was developed at the Institute for Space Research in Moscow. This detector will create high-resolution maps of the hydrogen distribution and gather data about the neutron component of the lunar radiation.

The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) was conceived and built at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. LOLA will generate high-resolution three-dimensional maps of the moon’s surface.

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), developed at Arizona State University at Tempe, will image the lunar surface in color and ultraviolet. LROC will be able to capture 1 m resolution images of the lunar poles.

The technology demonstration is called Mini-RF Technology Demonstration. The primary goal of this demonstration is to locate subsurface water ice deposits. The advanced single aperture radar (SAR) that will be used is capable of taking high-resolution imagery of the permanently shadowed regions on the lunar surface.

The data gathered by LRO will help us develop a better understanding of the lunar environment. This understanding is essential for a safe human return to the Moon and for the future exploration of our solar system.

Credits: NASA

Constellation Program is NASA’s new generation space transportation system. It is designed to cover a wide range of space missions, such as delivering supplies and human crews to the International Space Station (ISS) and traveling beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). The goal of the program is to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon and then go to Mars and other destinations.

The Constellation Program promotes exploration, science, commerce, and the United States’ presence in space.

Constellation consists of two launching vehicles (Ares I and Ares V), the Orion spacecraft, the Earth Departure Stage, and the Altair, which is the Lunar Surface Access Module.

Credits: NASA

Ares I is the crew launch vehicle that will be used to deliver the Orion spacecraft to LEO. Ares I is a two stage rocket, 94 m long and 5.5 m in diameter that can deliver a 25,000 kg payload to LEO.

The first stage is a solid rocket booster that evolved from the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). An additional fifth segment was added to the initial SRB design, which enables the rocket to produce more thrust and burn longer. The second stage uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as fuel. The J-2X engine used by the second stage evolved from the J-2 engine used on the Saturn V rocket.

In addition to its primary mission, Ares I can also be used to deliver resources and supplies to the ISS or to park payloads in orbit for retrieval by other spacecraft bound for the Moon or other destinations.

Credits: NASA

Ares V is the cargo launch vehicle of the Constellation Program. Ares V is a two stage rocket, 116 m long and 10 m in diameter. It will be able to deliver a staggering 188,000 kg (188 metric tonnes!) payload into a LEO.

The first stage uses both solid and liquid propulsion (two SRB-derived boosters and 6 RS-68 liquid fueled engines) while the second stage (the Earth Departure Stage) uses a single J-2X engine. It is a versatile launch system and it will be used to carry to LEO cargo and the components needed to go to the Moon and later to Mars.

Both launch vehicles are subject to configuration changes. The images reflect the configuration as of September 2006.

Credits: NASA

Orion is able to carry four to six astronauts. It will provide logistic support to ISS in the first stage. After that, Orion will become an important part of NASA’s human missions to the Moon and Mars.

The conceptual design is similar to the Apollo, but has been improved: an updated digital control system, automated pilot for docking procedures, and a nitrogen/oxygen mixed atmosphere.

The conical form is the safest and most reliable design for re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. The landing procedure has also been modified: instead of a splash in the Ocean, the module will land on solid ground using a combination of parachutes and airbags.

Credits: NASA

Altair is the lander spacecraft component of the Constellation Program. Like its predecessor, the Apollo Lunar Module, Altair has two stages.

Altair will land all crew members of the lunar mission on the surface of the Moon, while Orion will stay in lunar orbit until the mission ends. The ascending stage brings the crew back on Orion for the journey home.