The Lunar Cosmic-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer: Phase-A Design and Technology Studies

A comprehensive crewed lunar exploration program faces two major impediments. First, the logistical challenges of bringing the infrastructure and supplies required for long-term human-tended activities to the Moon are severe. The use of locally available resources will therefore be crucial to the establishment of a permanent human presence. Especially the extraction of water from the lunar regolith has recently moved into the focus of attention, as it promises to substantially decrease the amount of consumables and fuel that must be brought from Earth. Our current knowledge of the Moon's resource potential, however, is too incomplete to assess the technical feasibility and economic viability of in-situ resource-extraction efforts. Second, the radiation environment on the lunar surface poses a serious health risk to astronauts, which is not fully understood yet. Accurate and comprehensive measurements of the radiation environment are required to resolve this issue. We present preliminary results of a phase-A design study for the Lunar Cosmic-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (LCNS), one of three major scientific instruments developed for the LUVMI-X rover. The instrument is designed to support the search for water at the lunar poles through neutron spectroscopy and to characterize the radiation environment on the Moon.