How to communicate with a lunar polar mission?
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
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PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
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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 14 hours ago
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
80.7k16230444
add a comment |
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 14 hours ago
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
80.7k16230444
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 14 hours ago
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
80.7k16230444
asked 14 hours ago
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
80.7k16230444
asked 14 hours ago
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
80.7k16230444
asked 14 hours ago
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
80.7k16230444
asked 14 hours ago
PearsonArtPhoto♦PearsonArtPhoto
80.7k16230444
80.7k16230444
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 13 hours ago
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
53.9k3145230
add a comment |
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 10 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
83.7k2281361
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2 Answers
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oldest
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
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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 13 hours ago
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
53.9k3145230
add a comment |
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 13 hours ago
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
53.9k3145230
add a comment |
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 13 hours ago
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
53.9k3145230
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 13 hours ago
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
53.9k3145230
answered 13 hours ago
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
53.9k3145230
answered 13 hours ago
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
53.9k3145230
answered 13 hours ago
Organic MarbleOrganic Marble
53.9k3145230
53.9k3145230
add a comment |
add a comment |
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 10 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
83.7k2281361
add a comment |
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 10 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
83.7k2281361
add a comment |
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 10 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
83.7k2281361
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 10 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
83.7k2281361
edited 4 hours ago
answered 10 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
83.7k2281361
answered 10 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
83.7k2281361
answered 10 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
83.7k2281361
83.7k2281361
add a comment |
add a comment |
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