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The lunar poles are highly desirable target regions for both science and exploration, and are the focus of many recently discussed LDEP mission concepts. Due to low solar elevation and the resulting extremes between lighted and shadowed regions, the terrain surrounding a landing site would present scenes with a large range of radiance in the visible wavelengths. Some science missions’ objectives involve travel into permanently shadowed craters. This variety of lighting conditions requires an imager that can represent these extremes in a single radiometrically accurate image. In addition, due to the short nature of some of these missions (~14 days), a high degree of autonomy is necessary to minimize the time of humans in the loop. An ideal visible imaging sensor would accommodate all these factors while minimizing size, weight, power, and data volume, in order to prevent dominating requirements for a mission concept of operations. We propose to qualify a prototype visible wavelength camera combining a sensor with high dynamic range, low light level sensitivity, and autonomous code for controlling gain levels and exposure time. Ball Aerospace has developed a breadboard camera leveraging heritage and design from previously flown space cameras. The Revelio camera offers the user the ability to select from specified gains settings, or from autonomous gain control modes. One autonomous mode is real-time automatic gain and exposure control (AGEC) to prevent saturation in selected image regions. Another autonomous mode selects optimal gain, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, from images acquired in rapid succession. We will build a camera brassboard prototype designed to meet requirements of a lunar polar science mission and subject it to environmental (thermal vac, vibration) testing and radiometric calibration. This will result in a TRL 6 prototype ready to propose to a flight mission. Revelio would enable characterization of morphology in shadowed regions on centimeter scales in the near field. Local maps could provide context for LROC NAC measurements on a global scale. Color imaging would allow characterization of surface properties via Hapke modeling at high spatial resolution. Revelio would also complement thermal imager data by providing an independent measurement of incident solar flux. In a shadowed region, Revelio data could be combined with Far-Ultraviolet data for consistent determination of regolith porosity or presence of ice. Finally, a rover exploring shadowed regions could utilize the AGEC algorithms to optimize real time characterization of nearby scenes without needing an active sensing system.
Developing Instrument or spacecraft technology to improve measurements for future lunar missions
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