How to communicate with a lunar polar mission?
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We can easily communicate with a spacecraft on the Moon on the near side. The Far Side allows for a L2 halo communication relay satellite easily enough. How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
the-moon communication lander
asked Jan 12 at 15:59
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
84.7k16243469
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
We can easily communicate with a spacecraft on the Moon on the near side. The Far Side allows for a L2 halo communication relay satellite easily enough. How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
the-moon communication lander
asked Jan 12 at 15:59
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
84.7k16243469
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
We can easily communicate with a spacecraft on the Moon on the near side. The Far Side allows for a L2 halo communication relay satellite easily enough. How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
the-moon communication lander
asked Jan 12 at 15:59
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
84.7k16243469
$endgroup$
We can easily communicate with a spacecraft on the Moon on the near side. The Far Side allows for a L2 halo communication relay satellite easily enough. How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
the-moon communication lander
the-moon communication lander
asked Jan 12 at 15:59
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
84.7k16243469
asked Jan 12 at 15:59
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
84.7k16243469
asked Jan 12 at 15:59
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
84.7k16243469
asked Jan 12 at 15:59
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
84.7k16243469
asked Jan 12 at 15:59
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
84.7k16243469
84.7k16243469
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
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ESA's unimaginatively named Lunar Lander mission, sadly cancelled in 2012, was a south polar lunar mission. They planned to use line-of-sight communications and just accept the periodic periods of communication loss.
Another mission constraint is the unavailability of an orbiter for communications
relay. As a
consequence, the potential landing site must have sufficient visibility of Earth
to be able
to send
engineering and scientific data and to receive commands.This is generally achieved at the potential landing sites at the
poles, where Earth visibility has a windows of approximately 14
days, due to the fact that the Earth centre follows a pattern of
approximately ±6.5° in elevation every months, constrained to
approximately ±8° in azimuth.
source
answered Jan 12 at 16:33
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
60k3165256
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
A constellation of three or more evenly-spaced relay satellites (the higher they are, the fewer you need) in fairly high polar lunar orbit would be sufficient to maintain continuous contact with sites near either pole. No such constellation exists today but it should be straightforward to establish one. Shackleton might require a few more satellites in the constellation to ensure that one is always above the crater rim, if constant contact is required.
answered Jan 12 at 20:20
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
89.3k3300384
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
ESA's unimaginatively named Lunar Lander mission, sadly cancelled in 2012, was a south polar lunar mission. They planned to use line-of-sight communications and just accept the periodic periods of communication loss.
Another mission constraint is the unavailability of an orbiter for communications
relay. As a
consequence, the potential landing site must have sufficient visibility of Earth
to be able
to send
engineering and scientific data and to receive commands.This is generally achieved at the potential landing sites at the
poles, where Earth visibility has a windows of approximately 14
days, due to the fact that the Earth centre follows a pattern of
approximately ±6.5° in elevation every months, constrained to
approximately ±8° in azimuth.
source
answered Jan 12 at 16:33
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
60k3165256
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
ESA's unimaginatively named Lunar Lander mission, sadly cancelled in 2012, was a south polar lunar mission. They planned to use line-of-sight communications and just accept the periodic periods of communication loss.
Another mission constraint is the unavailability of an orbiter for communications
relay. As a
consequence, the potential landing site must have sufficient visibility of Earth
to be able
to send
engineering and scientific data and to receive commands.This is generally achieved at the potential landing sites at the
poles, where Earth visibility has a windows of approximately 14
days, due to the fact that the Earth centre follows a pattern of
approximately ±6.5° in elevation every months, constrained to
approximately ±8° in azimuth.
source
answered Jan 12 at 16:33
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
60k3165256
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
ESA's unimaginatively named Lunar Lander mission, sadly cancelled in 2012, was a south polar lunar mission. They planned to use line-of-sight communications and just accept the periodic periods of communication loss.
Another mission constraint is the unavailability of an orbiter for communications
relay. As a
consequence, the potential landing site must have sufficient visibility of Earth
to be able
to send
engineering and scientific data and to receive commands.This is generally achieved at the potential landing sites at the
poles, where Earth visibility has a windows of approximately 14
days, due to the fact that the Earth centre follows a pattern of
approximately ±6.5° in elevation every months, constrained to
approximately ±8° in azimuth.
source
answered Jan 12 at 16:33
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
60k3165256
$endgroup$
ESA's unimaginatively named Lunar Lander mission, sadly cancelled in 2012, was a south polar lunar mission. They planned to use line-of-sight communications and just accept the periodic periods of communication loss.
Another mission constraint is the unavailability of an orbiter for communications
relay. As a
consequence, the potential landing site must have sufficient visibility of Earth
to be able
to send
engineering and scientific data and to receive commands.This is generally achieved at the potential landing sites at the
poles, where Earth visibility has a windows of approximately 14
days, due to the fact that the Earth centre follows a pattern of
approximately ±6.5° in elevation every months, constrained to
approximately ±8° in azimuth.
source
answered Jan 12 at 16:33
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
60k3165256
answered Jan 12 at 16:33
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
60k3165256
answered Jan 12 at 16:33
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
60k3165256
answered Jan 12 at 16:33
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
60k3165256
60k3165256
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
A constellation of three or more evenly-spaced relay satellites (the higher they are, the fewer you need) in fairly high polar lunar orbit would be sufficient to maintain continuous contact with sites near either pole. No such constellation exists today but it should be straightforward to establish one. Shackleton might require a few more satellites in the constellation to ensure that one is always above the crater rim, if constant contact is required.
answered Jan 12 at 20:20
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
89.3k3300384
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
A constellation of three or more evenly-spaced relay satellites (the higher they are, the fewer you need) in fairly high polar lunar orbit would be sufficient to maintain continuous contact with sites near either pole. No such constellation exists today but it should be straightforward to establish one. Shackleton might require a few more satellites in the constellation to ensure that one is always above the crater rim, if constant contact is required.
answered Jan 12 at 20:20
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
89.3k3300384
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
A constellation of three or more evenly-spaced relay satellites (the higher they are, the fewer you need) in fairly high polar lunar orbit would be sufficient to maintain continuous contact with sites near either pole. No such constellation exists today but it should be straightforward to establish one. Shackleton might require a few more satellites in the constellation to ensure that one is always above the crater rim, if constant contact is required.
answered Jan 12 at 20:20
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
89.3k3300384
$endgroup$
How would a polar mission communicate with Earth, especially at a spot like the Shackleton crater? It seems like it would be difficult to see from Earth, and there isn't a convenient orbit like the L2 orbit.
A constellation of three or more evenly-spaced relay satellites (the higher they are, the fewer you need) in fairly high polar lunar orbit would be sufficient to maintain continuous contact with sites near either pole. No such constellation exists today but it should be straightforward to establish one. Shackleton might require a few more satellites in the constellation to ensure that one is always above the crater rim, if constant contact is required.
answered Jan 12 at 20:20
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
89.3k3300384
edited Jan 13 at 1:52
answered Jan 12 at 20:20
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
89.3k3300384
answered Jan 12 at 20:20
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
89.3k3300384
answered Jan 12 at 20:20
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
89.3k3300384
89.3k3300384
add a comment |
add a comment |
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