Related papers: Diffraction and Scattering Modeling for Laser Powe…
The increasing focus on lunar exploration requires innovative power solutions to support scientific research, mining, and habitation in the Moon's extreme environment. Optical power beaming (OPB) has emerged as a promising alternative to…
In the backdrop of escalating ambitions for space exploration, particularly with programs like Artemis aiming for a sustainable human presence on the Moon, the issue of efficient and reliable energy transmission has become a critical…
The passive retroreflector arrays placed on the moon by Apollo 11, 14 and 15 astronauts continue to produce valuable Earth-Moon range measurements that enable high-precision tests of gravitational physics, as well as studies of geo- and…
The growing lunar exploration programs require robust communication systems for dust-laden environments, necessitating comprehensive understanding of channel propagation characteristics. We present an analysis of terahertz channel…
It has been demonstrated that lunar dust simulant can be efficiently lofted and removed from various room temperature surfaces in vacuum when exposed to a low-energy electron beam. This provides a potential solution to the well-known dust…
In this paper we show that Sun-viewing images obtained by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Navigation Cameras (Navcam) can be used for retrieving the dust optical depth and constrain the aerosol physical properties at Gale Crater by…
Context. Airless planetary bodies are directly exposed to solar wind ions, which can scatter or become implanted upon impact with the regolith-covered surface, while also sputtering surface atoms. Aims. We construct a semi-analytical model…
Forty years ago, Apollo astronauts placed the first of several retroreflector arrays on the lunar surface. Their continued usefulness for laser-ranging might suggest that the lunar environment does not damage optical devices. However, new…
Time-limited space missions may miss rare occurrences of very dense clouds of lunar dust. At the same time, the information provided by the Earth-based monitoring of the Moon during at least the last three centuries still remains unused. In…
The results of an analysis of the physics of levitation of negatively charged dust particles over a surface (wall) in an inverse sheath are reported. It is shown that under suitable parameter regime, the ion-drag force may balance the…
Directed energy phased array (DEPA) systems have been proposed for novel applications such as beaming optical power for electrical use on remote sensors, rovers, spacecraft and future moon bases, as well as planetary defense against…
Aims. An asymmetric dust cloud was detected around the Moon by the Lunar Dust Experiment on board the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer mission. We investigate the dynamics of the grains that escape the Moon and their…
Studying lunar dust is vital to the exploration of the Moon and other airless planetary bodies. The Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVS) on board the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft conducted a series…
Previously we presented a numerical model that predicts trajectories of lunar dust, soil, and gravel blown by the engine exhaust of a lunar lander. The model uses the gas density, velocity vector field, and temperature predicted by…
We present a time-dependent, end-to-end framework for laser power beaming from cislunar orbits to the lunar surface. The model links on-orbit generation (solar arrays and wall-plug to optical), terrain-masked visibility and range, beam…
Free space optical (FSO) communication using lasers is a rapidly developing field in telecommunications that can offer advantages over traditional radio frequency technology. For example, optical laser links may allow transmissions at far…
Lunar dust -- the sub-millimeter fraction of the regolith -- controls the optical, thermophysical, electrical, mechanical, and environmental behavior of the Moon's surface. These properties set the performance envelopes of remote-sensing…
There are many indications that anthropogenic global warming poses a serious threat to our civilization and its ecological support systems. Ideally this problem will be overcome by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Various space-based…
Reliable Terahertz (THz) links are necessary for outdoor point-to-point communication with the exponential growth of wireless data traffic. This study presents a modified Monte Carlo simulation procedure for estimating THz link attenuation…
The small atmosphereless objects of our solar system, such as asteroids, the moon are covered by layer of dust particles known as regolith, formed by meteoritic impact. The light scattering studies of such dust layer by laboratory…