Analogue Mission Simulations Briefing Topic: Potential Locations for NEO Mission Simulations, Black Point Lava Flow, Arizona David A. Kring
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) 2008 Test Area ~40 km
Recent BPLF Simulations 2009 14-day-long Mission Simulation with Lunar Electric Rover (LER) 2009 Test Area ~40 km
Recent BPLF Simulations 2010 Simulation of Dual-LER Operations during a 28-day-long mission near the Malapert Massif (South Pole-Aitken Basin) 2010 Test Area ~40 km
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 km 2 ) 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 Example of NEA topography Eros Image taken from an altitude of 38 km by the NEAR spacecraft in 2000 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 Example of NEA topography Eros Image taken from an altitude of 51 km by the NEAR spacecraft in 2000 Field of view is 1.4 km across A valley occurs in the middle distance, followed by a steep wall in 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 material unlike 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 Colton Crater Pocket on North Side of BPLF Spider (or Hot Dog) Hill & Adjacent Basin
Options for NEO Simulations Colton Crater Pocket on North Side of BPLF Spider (or Hot Dog) Hill & Adjacent Basin
Option: Pocket on North Side of BPLF Topographic Map View This location was visited by crew and the LER in the 2009 mission simulation. 20 ft contours We know it is accessible and satisfies the other operational constraints, including over-thehorizon limitations.
Option: Pocket on North Side of BPLF Geologic 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-thehorizon limitations.
Option: Pocket on North Side of BPLF Image from pre-traverse briefing 2009 Satellite 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-thehorizon limitations. Kring/Space Sciences 2010
Option: Pocket on North Side of BPLF Satellite 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-thehorizon limitations. basins Kring/Space Sciences 2010
Option: Pocket on North Side of BPLF Satellite view This location was visited by crew and the LER in the 2009 mission simulation. Ridges limiting the horizon Kring/Space Sciences We know it is accessible and satisfies the other operational constraints, including over-thehorizon limitations. 2010
Option: Pocket on North Side of BPLF Ground level view
Options for NEO Simulations Colton Crater Pocket on North Side of BPLF Spider (or Hot Dog) Hill & Adjacent Basin
Option: Spider ( hot dog ) Hill Topographic Map View This location was visited by crew and the LER in the 2008, 2009, and 2010 mission simulations. 20 ft contours We know it is accessible and satisfies the other operational constraints, including over-thehorizon limitations.
Option: Spider ( hot dog ) Hill Geologic Map view This location was visited by crew and the LER in the 2008, 2009, and 2010 mission simulations. We know it is accessible and satisfies the other operational constraints, including over-thehorizon limitations.
Option: Spider ( hot dog ) Hill Hot Dog Hill
Option: Spider ( hot dog ) Hill Good outcrop for sampling
Option: Spider ( hot dog ) Hill A basin lurks behind the hill
Option: Spider ( hot dog ) Hill With cobbled surface in ravine
Options for NEO Simulations Colton Crater Pocket on North Side of BPLF Spider (or Hot Dog) Hill & Adjacent Basin
Option: Colton Crater Topographic Map View This location was visited by crew and the SEV in the 2010 mission simulation. We know it is accessible and satisfies the other operational constraints, including over-thehorizon limitations.
Option: Colton Crater Geologic Map view This location was visited by crew and the SEV in the 2010 mission simulation. We know it is accessible and satisfies the other operational constraints, including over-thehorizon limitations. The geology is more complex than the map colors might suggest.
Option: Colton Crater Layered volcanic deposits Plus several geologic surprises Hikearizona.com
Option: Colton Crater 15 m tuff 25 m cinders 7.5 m basalt flow 27.5 m cinders 75 m of total section measured by Cummings (1972)
Option: Colton Crater Late stage cinder cone (6 m high) Hikearizona.com
Option: Colton Crater Visited by crews during the 2010 simulations
Option: Colton Crater Astronaut Stan Love at Colton Crater 2010 NASA Desert RATS
Summary This is a target-rich area for NEO simulations Colton Crater Pocket on North Side of BPLF Spider (or Hot Dog) Hill & Adjacent Basin
Summary that takes advantage of our experience in the area & existing infrastructure Colton Crater Pocket on North Side of BPLF Spider (or Hot Dog) Hill & Adjacent Basin
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-LPI Center for Lunar Science and Exploration (an NLSI Team) Houston, TX 281-486-2119 kring@lpi.usra.edu