EXPLORE


JOINRENEWJOIN

Give a gift membership.
  

Space Topics: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)

Science Instruments

Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) will characterize the global lunar radiation environment and its biological impacts. It will measure and characterize that aspect of the deep space radiation environment -- LET spectra of galactic and solar cosmic rays (particularly above 10 MeV) -- most critically important to the engineering and modeling communities to assure safe, long-term, human presence in space. CRaTER will also investigate the effects of shielding by measuring LET spectra behind different amounts and types of areal density, including tissue-equivalent plastic, and will test models of radiation effects and shielding by verifying/validating model predictions of LET spectra with LRO measurements, using high-quality GCR and SEP [spell out acronyms] spectra available contemporaneously on ongoing/planned NASA missions.

Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (DIVINER) -- will be measure lunar surface temperatures at scales that provide essential information for future surface operations and exploration. DIVINER will map global day/night surface temperature, characterize thermal environments for habitability, determine rock abundances at landing sites and globally identify potential polar ice reservoirs, and search for near-surface and exposed ice.

Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) -- uses sky-glow and starlight to observe the Moon's permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). LAMP will identify and localize exposed water frost in these regions, do landform-scale mapping in all PSRs, demonstrate the feasibility of natural starlight and sky-glow illumination for future missions, and assay the lunar atmosphere and its variability.

Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) -- will provide measurements and create maps, detecting possible near-surface water ice deposits. It will create high resolution Hydrogen distribution maps with sensitivity of about 100 ppm of Hydrogen weight and horizontal spatial resolution of 5 kilometers, characterize the surface distribution and column density of possible near-surface water ice deposits in the Moon's polar cold traps, create a global model of neutron component of space radiation at altitude of 30-50 kilometers above Moon's surface with spatial resolution of 20-50 kilometers inthe spectral range from thermal energies up to 15 MeV.

The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) -- will provide a precise global lunar topographic model and geodetic grid, essentially creating 3-D maps of the Moon.

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) -- will address the measurement requirements of landing site certification and polar illumination.

Mini-RF is a technology demonstration of an advanced single aperture radar (SAR) capable of measurements in X-band and S-band. Mini-RF will demonstrate new lightweight SAR, communication technologies and locate potential water-ice.