[P-CG20] Future missions and instrumentation for space and planetary science

[PCG20-01] High-Precision Permittivity Measurements with the Lunar Dielectric Analyzer (LDA) and Surface Dielectric Analyzer (SDA)

★Invited Papers

*Hideaki Miyamoto^1,2, Makito Kobayashi¹, Yuki Murakami¹, Shunya Takekura¹, Airi Toida¹, Yuta Shimizu¹, Tomohiro Takemura¹, Tetsuo Yoshimitsu³, Nato Usami³, Masatsugu Otsuki³, Yasuharu Kunii⁴, Takao Maeda⁵, Atsushi Kumamoto⁶, Yusuke Nakauchi⁷, Takafumi Niihara⁸, Tomohiro Usui³, Hiroshi Nagaoka⁷, Kazuto Saiki⁷, John Culton², Erik Asphaug⁹, Takehiro Himeno¹, Patrick Michel^10,1, Masahito Watanabe¹¹ (1.University of Tokyo, 2.University of Adelaide, 3.JAXA, 4.Chuo University, 5.University of Tokyo Agricauture, 6.Tohoku University, 7.Ritsumeikan University, 8.Okayama University of Science, 9.University of Arizona, 10.Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, 11.Gakushuin University)

Keywords:LDA, Permittivity, Moon, Asteroid, Artemis

We are developing the Lunar Dielectric Analyzer (LDA) to investigate the dielectric properties of lunar regolith as part of the Artemis III mission. Designed as a deployable instrument for astronauts, LDA provides a simple, robust, and precise means of measuring surface permittivity. These measurements offer key insights into regolith properties, including density, composition, and volatile content. By operating across multiple frequencies and temperature conditions, LDA enables the characterization of vertical density structures and the detection of potential ice deposits in the shallow lunar subsurface.

Building on the same instrument design, we are also developing the Surface Dielectric Analyzer (SDA) for deployment on High Frontier, the first commercial asteroid mission by Karman+. This mission will rendezvous with a target asteroid, construct a detailed surface map, and perform an excavation demonstration during a touch-and-go maneuver using SLAM. SDA will measure the permittivity of asteroid materials, contributing to a deeper understanding of small body composition and surface evolution.

In addition to presenting these instruments and their scientific objectives, I will also discuss our related activities and broader vision for space resource exploration and utilization.