LunarPitsGatewaytotheSubsurface

MarkRobinsonandRobertWagner

Outline

• Overviewofpits• Gooddestinations• Arnemission

Pits:Whatarethey?

• Small,steep-walled

collapsefeatures

• Of>300known,allbut16inimpactmelts

PitsarewidespreadontheMoon

White:Mareandhighlandpits Blue:Impactmeltpits

PitsarewidespreadontheMoon

White:Mareandhighlandpits Blue:Impactmeltpits

Pitsareinterestingforexploration

• Exposedlayerprofiles• Benignenvironment

• Radiation,meteorites,

temperaturevariation

• Potentialcaveaccess• Accesstoun[space]weathered

minerals

ToppanelsfromRobinsonetal.2012

Bottom-right fromDaga andDaga 1992

Desireddatafrominitialvisit

• cm-scalewallandfloor

morphology/albedo

• Stretchgoal:Compositionoflayers

• Thermalandradiation

environment

• Presenceandextentofanycaves

• Traversibility

ToppanelsfromRobinsonetal.2012

Bottom-right fromDaga andDaga 1992

PitExplorationChallenges

• Probablycan’tjust“driveuptotherim”

andseethefloor

• Surrounding“funnels”arelikelyunstable

• Needatetherorflight• Limitedlightingwithin

• Difficulttocommunicateout

Top:Devil’sThroatinHawai‘i

Bottom:ObliqueviewofMareIngenii pit

Goodtargetsforexploration

Goodtargetsforexploration

• MareIngenii

• 100x68x65m• Largeoverhungregiononwestside(>20m)

• Onlunarfarside

Goodtargetsforexploration

• LacusMortis

• >150x110x80m• 23° entranceslope,• Almostcertainlyno

caves

Goodtargetsforexploration

• MariusHills

• 58x49x40m• Verystrongevidenceforlargelavatube

• Noobviousconnectionbetweentubeandpit

• Yet…

Goodtargetsforexploration

• MareTranquillitatis

• 100x88x104m• ExcellentLROCimagery

• ≥20moverhangsto

eastandwest

• Earthviewfromfloor

Goodtargetsforexploration

• MareTranquillitatis

• 100x88x104m• ExcellentLROCimagery

• >20moverhangsto

eastandwest

• Earthviewfromfloor

Goodtargetsforexploration

• MareTranquillitatis

• 100x88x104m• ExcellentLROCimagery

• ≥20moverhangsto

eastandwest

• Earthviewfromfloor

Arne:Initialforayintoalunarpit

• Goal:Tofindanswersthatcan’tbefound

fromorbit

• Howfardo theoverhangsgoback?

• Whatdothewalllayer

looklike?

• Whatwillittaketo

traversethefloor?

• Destination:Mare

Tranquillitatis pitEastwallofMareTranquillitatis pit,

basedoncurrentobservations

ArneConOps

• Landinsidepit• Observewalls,relaydirectlytoEarth

• Launch“pit-bots”• Basketball-sizedflyingdrones

• Willexploreoverhangs

andanycaves

• Multiplepit-botswill

exploredeeperintoany

cave,ormultiplewallsLandernottoscale

ArneConOps

• Landinsidepit• Observewalls,relaydirectlytoEarth

• Launch“pit-bots”• Basketball-sizedflyingdrones

• Willexploreoverhangs

andanycaves

• Multiplepit-botswill

exploredeeperintoany

cave,ormultiplewallsLandernottoscale

ArneConOps

• Landinsidepit• Observewalls,relaydirectlytoEarth

• Launch“pit-bots”• Basketball-sizedflyingdrones

• Willexploreoverhangs

andanycaves

• Multiplepit-botswill

exploredeeperintoany

cave,ormultiplewallsLandernottoscale

Toscale,assuminga3mtalllander

ArneVariations

• Landoutside,flyin• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin

• Descenderandfliers

ArneVariations

• Landoutside,flyin• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin

• Descenderandfliers

Landernottoscale

ArneVariations

• Landoutside,flyin• Stronglimitsonin-pit

instrumentation

• Morecomplicated

communications

• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin

• Descenderandfliers

Landernottoscale

ArneVariations

• Landoutside,flyin• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin

• Wouldonlygetpartial

high-reswallcoverage

• Littlecavingability• Wallcomposition*

• Longer-term

monitoring?

• DescenderandfliersLandernottoscale

ArneVariations

• Landoutside,flyin• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin

• Descenderandfliers• Bestofbothworlds?

Landernottoscale