Notional Geological Traverses, Station Activities, and Sample Collection on Mons Malapert, Lunar South Polar Region

Abstract

The geology of a potential Artemis landing site on Mons Malapert is examined using remote sensing techniques and lessons learned from Apollo missions to the lunar surface. Orthomosaics, digital terrain models, illumination models, thermal conditions, crater size-frequency distribution analyses, geomorphological mapping, spectral and compositional analyses, lunar surface physical property analyses, and image processing to reveal the lunar surface within permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) were integrated with anticipated crew capabilities to develop three notional extravehicular activity (EVA) traverses lasting 3, 3, and 6 hr each. The traverse plans recover 43 samples, with a mass of 44 kg, secured in 54 kg of sample containers, including those NASA requires for samples collected in and around PSRs, which is within the 100 kg limit NASA allows for a landed mission. The geologic plan for the EVAs addresses seven Artemis III science objectives, 25 science goals within those objectives, and 90 specific investigations of varying priority in the Artemis III Science Definition Team Report (43 high-, 40 medium-, 2 medium-high-, and 5 low-priority investigations); for example, test and reveal new details about the lunar magma ocean hypothesis, the basin-forming epoch and implications for Solar System architecture, sources and distribution of volatiles, and regolith physical properties relevant to human and robotic exploration.