Drilling load modeling and validation based on the filling rate of auger flute in planetary sampling

Some type of penetration into a subsurface is required in planetary sampling. Drilling and coring, due to its efficient penetrating and cuttings removal characteristics, has been widely applied in previous sampling missions. Given the complicated mechanical properties of a planetary regolith, suitable drilling parameters should be matched with different drilling formations properly. Otherwise, drilling faults caused by overloads could easily happen. Hence, it is necessary to estab-lish a drilling load model, which is able to reveal the relationships among drilling loads, an auger's structural parameters, soil's mechanical properties, and relevant drilling parameters. A concept for the filling rate of auger flute (FRAF) is proposed to describe drilling conditions. If the FRAF index under one group of drilling parameters is less than 1, this means that the auger flute currently removes cuttings smoothly. Otherwise, the auger will be choked with compressed cuttings. In dril-ling operations, the drilling loads on the auger mainly come from the conveyance action, while the drilling loads on the drill bit primarily come from the cutting action. Experiments in one typical lunar regolith simulant indicate that the estimated drilling loads based on the FRAF coincide with the test results quite well. Based on this drilling load model, drilling parameters have been opti-mized.     

Analysis of driving efficiency for LRV wheels using forced-slip method

To investigate and improve the mobility of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), it is necessary to consider the mechanical properties of the interaction between the wheels and the ground. In this paper, a new solution method, the forced-slip solution method, which uses a semi-empirical approach, was presented. That is, given the wheel’s vertical load and drawbar pull or driving torque as known input values, the unknown slip ratio can be resolved. The alternative method involves predicting the mechanics for a given slip ratio. The proposed method correlates better with actual wheel movements, and by studying a single wheel, this solution method can also be used to resolve the mechanical properties of the front and rear wheels in a four-wheel-drive (4WD) LRV configuration. It can also be used to consider the multi-pass effect of the rear wheels on lunar soil. The calculation results show that the 4WD LRV driving efficiency varies with the position of the center of mass. Thus, the LRV driving efficiency can be optimized by adjusting the position of its center of mass.     

Proposal of application of same beam VLBI measurements in precision orbit determination of lunar orbiter and return capsule and lunar gravity field simulation in Chang’E-3 mission

High accuracy differenced phase delay can be obtained by observing multiple point frequencies of two spacecraft using the same beam Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) technology. Its contribution in lunar spacecraft precision orbit determination has been performed during the Japanese lunar exploration mission SELENE. In consideration that there will be an orbiter and a return capsule flying around the moon during the Chinese lunar exploration future mission Chang’E-3, the contributions of the same beam VLBI in spacecraft precision orbit determination and lunar gravity field solution have been investigated. Our results show that the accuracy of precision orbit determination can be improved more than one order of magnitude after including the same beam VLBI measurements. There are significant improvements in accuracy of low and medium degree coefficients of lunar gravity field model obtained from combination of two way range and Doppler and the same beam VLBI measurements than the one that only uses two way range and Doppler data, and the accuracy of precision orbit determination can reach meter level.     

月球主要构造特征：嫦娥一号月球影像初步研究

月球在31亿年前已基本停止地质活动,从而保留了其形成初期的信息．这些信息对于认识月球、地球乃至太阳系的形成演化具有重要意义．在已有研究成果的基础上,结合嫦娥一号探月卫星CCD影像数据,从月海穹窿、撞击坑、月岭、断裂、月坑链、月溪及月谷等方面介绍了月球主要构造形式的地质特征、形貌特征及遥感影像特征,对其成因以及所隐含的地质意义进行了分析．结果表明,嫦娥一号CCD影像信息丰富,影像清晰,利用其CCD影像数据进一步研究月球的构造现象是可行的．     

基于单应视差的月面着陆区离面测量及平坦性分析

文章针对月球探测器的软着陆,提出了基于由平面诱导的单应视差的月面着陆区离面距离测量及平坦性分析方法.对于特征点分布不均匀情况,采用邻近特征点内插方法在全图强制性近似均匀选择点云作为兴趣点,用基于极线约束和单应约束融合的方法匹配纹理不丰富的兴趣点.使用由平面诱导的单应视差计算兴趣点的离面距离,以离面距离的最大值、绝对值的...     

Lunar exosphere influence on lunar-based near-ultraviolet astronomical observations

The potential effect of the lunar exosphere on the near-ultraviolet sky background emission is predicted for Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT: a funded Chinese scientific payload for the Chang’e-III mission). Using the upper limit on the OH concentration inferred from the recent MIP CHACE results, our calculations show that the sky brightness due to the illuminated exosphere is <8.7 photons⁻¹ cm⁻² arcsec⁻² within the wavelength range 245–340 nm. By evaluating the signal-to-noise ratios of observations of an AB = 13 mag point source at a series of sky background levels, our analysis indicates that the detection performance of LUT can be moderately degraded by the lunar exosphere emission in most cases. An AB = 13 mag point source can still be detected by the telescope at a signal-to-noise ratio more than 8 when the OH concentration is less than 2 × 10⁸ molecules cm⁻³. However, the effect on the performance is considerable when the exosphere is as dense as suggested by CHACE.     

月球探测技术--发展历程和特点

介绍了人类发射月球探测器进行的主要探月活动以及月球探测技术的发展和演变。分析了月球探测轨道设计与地球卫星的区别 ,给出了一些最基本的设计原则。最后 ,对探测器总体系统设计中的构型技术和各分系统的特点及其设计要求作了描述     

月球采样机械臂系统设计及试验验证

在对月球采样返回任务需求及探测器系统任务剖面进行分析的基础上，设计并研制了一种轻量化、大负载、高精度、宽采样范围月球采样机械臂系统。该系统主要由4自由度机械臂及两种不同采样形式的末端采样器组成，可对不同指定区域浅层月壤进行铲、挖、浅钻等多形式采集。在综合考虑机械臂系统器上布局的基础上，基于运动学模型对采样机械臂的可达采样区域进行仿真分析，提出采样机械臂月面采样策略。基于等尺寸着陆器模拟平台，开展了针对3种不同密实度模拟月壤的采样试验，采样试验结果表明在可达采样空间内，采样机械臂对不同密实度月壤均具有较好的适应性，最大采样深度可达30 mm，最大单次采样量可达270 g，单次采样时间小于2 min。     

地月空间NRHO与DRO在月球探测中的应用研究

针对地月系统三体问题低能往返轨道转移在月球探测中的应用研究，结合天体借力飞行技术与混合优化技术，系统分析了不同目标轨道与借力方位对任务飞行时间与燃料消耗等关键参数的影响，给出了往返轨道设计初值的选择策略。针对轨道设计初值猜想问题，首先采用遗传算法与二体Lambert转移快速确定轨迹拼接点初值。在同时考虑近月点与近地点多约束条件下，基于序列二次规划算法与多重打靶法进一步对燃料最优的地月往返轨道进行研究，并推导了约束方程解析梯度提高设计效率。最后分析近月点高度、不同目标轨道的转移时间与燃耗变化特性，对于考虑月球借力的地月空间轨道往返转移设计及参数选取具有重要的参考价值。     

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.