Gamma-ray detector on board lunar mission Chang’E-1

Gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS) is included in the payload of Chinese first lunar mission Chang’E-1 that will be launched in 2007. Specific objectives of the GRS are to map abundance of O, Si, Fe, Ti, U, Th, K, and perhaps, Mg, Al, and Ca to depths of about 20 cm. There are remarkable advantages for GRS application to remote sensing elemental materials over the entire lunar surface: large effective area and good ability for background rejection. We will describe the design of GRS and present its performance in this paper. Moreover, the GRS calibration will also be introduced.     

The Japanese lunar mission SELENE: Science goals and present status

The Japanese lunar mission SELENE (SELenological and ENgineering Explorer) has been in development to target launch scheduled 2007 summer by H-IIA rocket. The SELENE is starting final integration test after SAR (System Acceptance Review), SRR (System Reliability Review) and instrument environment test. The SELENE is a remote-sensing mission orbiting 100 km altitude of the Moon for nominal one year and extended some months to collect the data for studying the origin and evolution of the Moon. Fourteen instruments and experiment systems are preparing for studies of the Moon, in the Moon, and from the Moon; global element and mineral compositions, topological structure, gravity field of whole moon, and electromagnetic and particle environment of the Moon. The new data center SOAC (SELENE Operation and data Analysis Center) are completed to construct in JAXA Sagamihara campus, and end-to-end test will be carried out between SOAC and data downlink stations.     

Comparison analyses on the 150 × 150 lunar gravity field models by gravity/topography admittance,correlation and precision orbit determination

We analyzed the 150 × 150 lunar gravity field models, LP150Q, GLGM-3 and SGM150, using the power spectrum on the lunar nearside and farside, the lunar global and localized gravity/topography admittance and correlation, and Chang’E-2 precision orbit determination to investigate which model is a more effective tool to estimate geophysical parameters and determine the lunar satellite precision orbit. Results indicate that all gravity field models can be used to estimate the lunar geophysical parameters of the nearside of the Moon. However, SGM150 is better in such computation of the farside. Additionally, SGM150 is shown to be the most useful model for determining the lunar satellite orbit.     

Design and analysis of an extended mission of CE-2: From lunar orbit to Sun–Earth L2 region

Chang’E-2 (CE-2) has firstly successfully achieved the exploring mission from lunar orbit to Sun–Earth L2 region. In this paper, we discuss the design problem of transfer trajectory and at the same time analyze the visible segment of Tracking, Telemetry & Control (TT&C) system for this mission. Firstly, the four-body problem of Sun–Earth–Moon and Spacecraft can be decoupled in two different three-body problems (Sun–Earth + Moon Restricted Three-Body Problems (RTBPs) and Earth–Moon ephemeris model). Then, the transfer trajectory segments in different model are computed, respectively, and patched by Poincaré sections. The full-flight trajectory including transfer trajectory from lunar orbit to Sun–Earth L2 region and target Lissajous orbit is obtained by the differential correction method. Finally, the visibility of TT&C system at the key time is analyzed. Actual execution of CE-2 extended mission shows that the trajectory design of CE-2 mission is feasible.     

Mapping lunar surface chemistry: New prospects with the Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS)

Surface chemistry of airless bodies in the solar system can be derived from remote X-ray spectral measurements from an orbiting spacecraft. X-rays from planetary surfaces are excited primarily by solar X-rays. Several experiments in the past have used this technique of X-ray fluorescence for deriving abundances of the major rock forming elements. The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter carries an X-ray fluorescence experiment named CLASS that is designed based on results from its predecessor C1XS flown on Chandrayaan-1. We discuss the new aspects of lunar science that can be potentially achieved with CLASS.     

Journey to the Moon: Recent results,science, future robotic and human exploration

The upcoming fleet of lunar missions, and the announcement of new lunar exploration initiatives, show an exciting “Journey to the Moon”, covering recent results, science, future robotic and human exploration. We review some of the questions, findings and perspectives given in the papers included in this issue of Advances in Space Research.     

CAS-1 lunar soil simulant

Lunar soil simulant is a geochemical reproduction of lunar regolith, and is needed for lunar science and engineering researches. This paper describes a new lunar soil simulant, CAS-1, prepared by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to support lunar orbiter, soft-landing mission and sample return missions of China’s Lunar Exploration Program, which is scheduled for 2004–2020. Such simulants should match the samples returned from the Moon, all collected from the lunar regolith rather than outcrops. The average mineral and chemical composition of lunar soil sample returned from the Apollo 14 mission, which landed on the Fra Mauro Formation, is chosen as the model for the CAS-1 simulant. Source material for this simulant was a low-Ti basaltic scoria dated at 1600 years from the late Quaternary volcanic area in the Changbai Mountains of northeast China. The main minerals of this rock are pyroxene, olivine, and minor plagioclase, and about 20–40% modal glass. The scoria was analyzed by XRF and found to be chemically similar to Apollo 14 lunar sample 14163. It was crushed in an impact mill with a resulting median particle size 85.9 μm, similar to Apollo soils. Bulk density, shear resistance, complex permittivity, and reflectance spectra were also similar to Apollo 14 soil. We conclude that CAS-1 is an ideal lunar soil simulant for science and engineering research of future lunar exploration program.     

月球表面元素含量的定量分析方法

综述了月球元素定量研究在探测手段和定量方法等方面取得的最新进展.在探测手段方面,介绍了美国最近发射的克莱门汀和月球勘探者探测器使用的多谱段成像仪、中子探测仪以及γ谱仪的主要性能.在定量方法方面,讨论Fe、Ti以及稀土元素等在定量方法上的进展.     

Reports to COSPAR from the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG)

In accordance with its charter, the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) reports to COSPAR, and a summary was given at the Beijing COSPAR 2006 Assembly on ILEWG activities conducted since the previous COSPAR 2004 assembly held in Paris. This included reports from the 6th and 7th ILEWG International Conference on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon, held respectively in Udaipur, India on 22–26 November 2004 (ICEUM6) and in Toronto, Canada on 18–23 September 2005 (ICEUM7). We give in this issue of Advances in Space Research the “lunar declarations” from these ICEUM conferences, as well as for the ICEUM8 conference held in Beijing immediately after the 2006 COSPAR Assembly. One year after the COSPAR Beijing assembly, the 9th ILEWG International Conference on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon (ICEUM9), was held in Sorrento, Italy on 18–23 September 2007. We report also in this issue the “Sorrento Lunar Declaration” in advance of the ILEWG formal report to be given at the COSPAR Assembly to be held in Montreal, Canada in July 2008.     

月尘环境效应及地面模拟技术

介绍了月球尘的特点及其对探月活动的影响。在分析月球尘环境及其对月面探测器污染、磨损、阻塞、静电效应的基础上,对月球尘环境模拟技术、月球尘扬尘及其运动学和动力学规律、月球尘效应防护及试验评价方法等研究方向和重点提出了一些初步看法。针对研究内容的需求,梳理出一台完整的月球尘地面模拟试验设备应具备真空、温度、太阳风、太阳紫外、月球尘、月面电场、月面磁场等环境因素。在此基础上,设计了一种月球尘地面模拟试验装置方案,并对月球尘环境效应试验方法进行了初步讨论。为月球探测后期任务条件保障建设及相关研究工作提供参考。     

Technology Progress Report for Microwave Remote Sensing

In this presentation, technological progress for China's microwave remote sensing is introduced. New developments of the microwave remote sensing instruments for China's lunar exploration satellite (Chang'E-1), meteorological satellite FY-3 and ocean dynamic measurement satellite (HY-2) are reported.     

嫦娥三号巡视器有效载荷

嫦娥三号巡视器配置了全景相机、测月雷达、红外成像光谱仪、粒子激发X射线谱仪四种科学探测有效载荷. 介绍了有效载荷的科学探测任务、系统设计方案和系统组成,描述了各有效载荷的方案设计要点,设计中的主要关注点及主要技术指标等.     

Diviner红外温度与嫦娥卫星微波探测仪月表亮温的比较分析

提出使用高分辨率的Diviner辐射计红外温度作为月壤热传导的边界输入条件,使得月壤物理温度廓线的模拟更接近月表真实情况. 利用Diviner物理温度廓线模拟的微波亮温与嫦娥二号卫星微波探测仪（CELMS2）的实测亮温匹配,来分析CELMS2数据的有效性和稳定性,为月壤微波特性的反演奠定基础. 以哥白尼坑区域为例,对比分析了Diviner辐射计红外通道温度与CELMS1实测微波亮温的变化趋势. 选择月球虹湾地区内一位置点（45.1°-45.5°N,33.1°-33.5°W）,分析了CELMS2在该位置点内5个月球时刻的亮温数据. 通过对实测亮温与模拟亮温在经纬度和太阳高度角的匹配分析得到,在高频微波通道内两者的相关性达到96%以上,表明嫦娥二号微波探测仪亮温数据具有较高的稳定性,可以为月壤特性反演研究提供可靠数据来源.