Lunar gravity field modeling critical analysis and challenges

This paper summarizes and provides a critical analysis of the historical developments of lunar gravitational models from the earliest use of ground based tracking systems of the Lunar Orbiter to the Lunar Prospector mission. This encompasses a comprehensive and critical analysis of the various methods used in the estimation of the gravity coefficients and the processing of large batches of diverse measurements and data types. It has been shown that weakness exists in the current models of the lunar gravity field, which is primarily due to the lack of far side lunar tracking data information, which makes the lunar potential modeling difficult but expected to be overcome as data from SELENE satellite-to-satellite tracking becomes available. Comparisons of various lunar models reveal an agreement in the low order coefficients of the spherical harmonics. However, substantial differences in the models exist in the higher-order harmonics. A numerical comparison has been presented showing the performance of all the contemporary lunar gravitational models used within the astrodynamics community and available in public domain. Improvements to the current models are part of a continuing process and the recent model improvements and future possibilities in lunar gravity modeling are discussed. A brief review of the recent missions has been presented. It is hoped that this critical review will benefit the researchers by presenting the historical as well as state of the art in this field.     

新型月球车的控制及实验研究

由于月球复杂的地形环境, 月球车作为复杂多体系统, 其动力学行为和驱动控制具有很多特性, 对其的分析也较简单系统复杂得多. 本文给出了对月球车控制的动力学、运动约束和运动学设计的数学模型, 并以跨越沟壑为例, 说明了协调控制过程. 同时设计和研制了基于气浮的独轮实验装置, 用于模拟月球的重力环境, 并研究协调了控制中各个车轮运动学和动力学参数的合理范围.      

Analysis of Chang’e-5 lunar core drilling process

Chang’e-5 explorer successfully acquired lunar regolith core samples from depths of greater than 1 m of lunar surface. This study analyzed the lunar core drilling process based on the telemetry data, image information, and returned samples to optimize the sampling device design and enhance the understanding of the lunar regolith. In particular, a prediction method for the projected drilling path and local terrain fitting of drilling dip angle was proposed based on the flight events recorded during the core drilling process and the image information acquired before, during, and after sampling. The results revealed that the drilling dip angle of Chang’e-5 was approximately 2.3°, and the deviation of the drilling length and depth was less than 2 mm. For continuous drilling, a fusion method based on telemetry data and image information was applied to determine the demarcation point of drilling with and without the lunar soil. The position of the demarcation point implied that the drilling point remained at approximately 6 mm loose soil, thereby lagging the action of the force response. Additionally, a characteristic parameter comparison method was proposed for the lunar and ground drilling to analyze the status of the lunar soil. Furthermore, the analysis results revealed that the majority of the Chang’e-5 drilling samples were derived from 0–73.8 cm below the lunar surface and few samples were extracted below 73.8 cm, as the drilling encountered several rocky regions. Moreover, the drilling point exhibited two prominent stratification variations at ～28.7 cm and ～70 cm below the lunar surface. Ultimately, the preliminary relationship between sample dissected position in soft tube and drilling displacement was analyzed. The segmented estimation results can support research on subsurface lunar soil.     

Technical evaluation of additive manufacturing technologies for in-situ fabrication with lunar regolith

In-Situ Fabrication and Repair can significantly reduce the construction cost of a permanent Moon base by using additive manufacturing (AM) and exploiting local resources instead of bringing all the required materials from Earth. In this article, we evaluate alternative additive manufacturing technologies for building a lunar base and maintaining it across its lifecycle. We compare alternative 3D-printing techniques, already tested for manufacturing with simulants of lunar regolith, using energy, Earth-deliverables consumption, and compressive strength of the produced samples as figures of merit. Based on our analysis, we conclude that Cement Contour Crafting and Stereo-lithography AM techniques are the most promising solutions for the construction of outdoor lunar infrastructure and small precise parts and instruments, respectively.     

月表陨坑检测轻量化深度学习方法

针对目前基于深度学习的陨坑检测方法存在的模型参数量大和检测速度慢的问题，提出了一种轻量化的深度学习陨坑检测方法。首先，采用通道剪枝方法删减卷积神经网络中冗余的卷积核，得到结构紧凑高效的陨坑检测模型。然后，使用轻量化的深度可分离卷积操作替换基础陨坑检测模型中的标准卷积操作，进一步降低了模型的复杂度。仿真实验结果表明，所提出的轻量化陨坑检测模型能够保证较高的像素预测精度，并且能够适应亮度、图像噪声等干扰因素的影响。同时，与轻量化处理前的模型相比，参数量减少了99.2%，检测速度提升了94%。     

我国未来探月工程任务对材料需求展望

月球是深空探测的热点,也是美、欧等国家航天技术的竞技场。随着我国"绕、落、回"探月工程的成功实施,建设月球基地和月球空间站已成为新任务的论证热点,这将对材料提出新的需求和发展方向。本文在概述月球环境对航天材料的影响的基础上,分析我国未来探月工程的任务难点,并从轻量化结构、高效热管理、先进热防护、低温润滑、防尘、缓冲吸能等不同角度提出了探月工程对航天材料的新需求,最后给出了后续如何发展探月工程新材料新技术的建议。     

Influence of lunar regolith compressibility on sampling performance of thick wall spiral drills

A 2 m class robotic drill was sent to the Moon and successfully collected and returned regolith samples in late 2020 by China. It was a typical thick wall spiral drill (TWSD) with a hollow auger containing a complex coring system to retain subsurface regolith samples. Before the robotic drill was launched, a series of laboratory tests were carried out to investigate and predict the possible drilling loads it may encounter in the lunar environment. This work presents how the sampling performance of the TWSD is affected by the regolith compressibility. Experiments and analysis during the drilling and sampling process in a simulated lunar regolith environment were conducted. The compressibility of a typical lunar regolith simulant (LRS) was measured through uni-directional compression tests to study the relationship between its inner regolith stress and bulk density. A theoretical model was established to elucidate the cutting discharge behavior by auger flights based on the aforementioned relationship. Experiments were conducted with the LRS, and the results show that the sampling performance is greatly affected by the flux of the drilled cuttings into the spiral flight channels. This work helped in scheduling reasonable drilling parameters to promote the sampling performance of the robotic drill in the Chinese Chang'E 5 mission.     

地外天体着陆巡视探测自主智能技术进展

以月球、火星和小行星等地外天体着陆巡视探测任务为背景，对自主智能技术的发展现状、应用情况与未来趋势进行了分析研究。回顾了目前国内外地外天体着陆巡视探测任务的实施情况；从导航定位与环境感知、轨迹优化与制导控制、自主探测与路径规划、故障诊断与自主处理等四个方面，阐述了该领域自主智能技术的研究现状，并对未来发展态势进行了展望。     

Autonomous navigation for lunar final approach based on gravity gradient measurements

Lunar final approach navigation is critical for pin-point lunar landing in future missions. This study investigates the use of lunar gravity gradient measurements for autonomous navigation of a lunar probe during the final approach phase. As the spacecraft approaches the Moon, the strength of gravity gradient signals improves. A spaceborne gravity gradiometer can precisely measure local gravity gradients, and the latest lunar gravity model GL1500E is used to provide reference values. The employed truncation degree and order of the gravity model are increased stepwise considering the decreasing altitude of the spacecraft in order to reach a compromise between computational costs and model accuracy. An iterative Kalman filter is developed for coupled orbit and attitude estimation using gravity gradient measurements and attitude quaternions obtained from star sensors. A simulated spacecraft with a gradiometer noise level of 0.01 E is considered. Simulation results show that the spacecraft’s position converges rapidly and achieves an accuracy of less than 100 m at the last epoch.     

Ground-based investigations on phase-moving phenomenon with space sublimation cooling for lunar exploration missions

The lunar surface is a typical vacuum environment, and its harsh heat rejection conditions bring great challenges to the thermal control technology of the exploration mission. In addition to the radiator, the sublimator is recommended as one of the promising options for heat rejection. The sublimator makes use of water to freeze and sublimate in a porous medium, rejecting heat to the vacuum environment. The complex heat and mass transfer process involves many physical phenomena such as the freezing and sublimation phase change of water in the porous medium and the movement of the phase-change interface. In this paper, the visualized ground-based experimental approaches of space sublimation cooling were presented to reveal the moving law of three-phase point and the growth phenomenon of ice-peak and icicle in microchannels under vacuum conditions. The visualized experiments and results prove that the freezing ice is divided into the porous ice-peak and the transparent icicle. As the sublimation progresses, the phase-change interface moves downward steadily, the length of the ice-peak increases, but the icicle decreases. The visualized experiments of space sublimation cooling in the capillary have guiding significance to reveal the sublimation cooling mechanism of water in the sublimator for lunar exploration missions.