국내 최대 기계 및 로봇 연구정보

기술보고서

기술보고서 게시판 내용
타이틀	Blue Marble: Remote Characterization of Habitable Planets
저자	Woolf, Neville;; Lewis, Brian;; Chartres, James;; Genova, Anthony
Keyword	EXOBIOLOGY;; EXTRASOLAR PLANETS;; HABITABILITY;; POLARIZATION CHARACTERISTICS;; LESSONS LEARNED;; POLARIMETRY;; COST EFFECTIVENESS;; MISSION PLANNING;;
URL	http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20100036779
보고서번호	ARC-E-DAA-TN661;; SSC09-IV-1
발행년도	2009
출처	NTRS (NASA Technical Report Server)
ABSTRACT	The study of the nature and distribution of habitable environments beyond the Solar System is a key area for Astrobiology research. At the present time, our Earth is the only habitable planet that can be characterized in the same way that we might characterize planets beyond the Solar System. Due to limitations in our current and near-future technology, it is likely that extra-solar planets will be observed as single-pixel objects. To understand this data, we must develop skills in analyzing and interpreting the radiation obtained from a single pixel. These skills must include the study of the time variation of the radiation, and the range of its photometric, spectroscopic and polarimetric properties. In addition, to understand whether we are properly analyzing the single pixel data, we need to compare it with a ground truth of modest resolution images in key spectral bands. This paper discusses the concept for a mission called Blue Marble that would obtain data of the Earth using a combination of spectropolarimetry, spectrophotometry, and selected band imaging. To obtain imagery of the proper resolution, it is desirable to place the Blue Marble spacecraft no closer than the outer region of cis-lunar space. This paper explores a conceptual mission design that takes advantage of low-cost launchers, bus designs and mission elements to provide a cost effective observing platform located at one of the stable Earth-moon Lagrangian points (L4, L5). The mission design allows for the development and use of novel technologies, such as a spinning moon sensor for attitude control, and leverages lessons-learned from previous low-cost spacecraft such as Lunar Prospector to yield a low-risk mission concept.