[P-PS06] Lunar Science and Exploration

[PPS06-P18] Development of Vis-NIR microscopic hyper imager and grinding device for sample-return from the MoonDevelopment of Vis-NIR microscopic hyper imager and grinding device for sample-return from the Moon

*Yusuke Nakauchi¹, Hiroshi Nagaoka², Makiko Ohtake³, Tomokatsu Morota⁴, Kazuto Saiki⁵, Tetsuo Yoshimitsu¹, Osamu Mori¹, Ryota Fukai¹, Yasuhiro Iba⁶ (1.JAXA, 2.RIKEN, 3.The University of Aizu, 4.The University of Tokyo, 5.Osaka University, 6.Hokkaido University)

Keywords:Moon, LEAD, Spectroscopy

With increasing the opportunities for lunar activities, it is required to develop a compact in-situ analyzer for exploration of lunar surface and selection of return samples. In previous studies, there is possibility that the Apollo samples and lunar meteorites, which are existed on lunar surface for a long time, show brecciated textures, and thermal-metamorphism caused by numerous meteoroid impacts. In such cases, it is difficult to obtain the information (age, texture, etc.) at the time of initial crystallization (e.g., Nagaoka et al. 2023, Icarus). Therefore, it is necessary to decide whether samples were brecciated/metamorphosed or not by observing their textures and compositions, when determining which sample to collect.

We started to develop a compact visible and near infrared microscopic hyper imager for lunar surface investigation and selection of return samples. It is required to obtain continuously spectra form 650 nm to 2000 nm with wavelength resolution under 20 nm and high special resolution 10 µm/pixels. Currently, a lens design has been completed that meets the spatial resolution requirements. This lens is focusable.
Additionally, since we should observe the rock structure in-situ, grinding experiments were initiated in a vacuum environment. Grinded samples are polished and fracture surface of basalt. In about 1 minute of grinding, grinded depth was 400~700 µm in an ambient condition environment and 400 µm in a vacuum environment.