When Canada sends its Lunar Utility Rover to the moon we now know it will also include an autonomous infrared spectrometer designed for the harsh lunar environment.
The contract award was part of a broader announcement by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) today for Lunar Utility Rover science instruments. The CSA awarded awarded $3.8 million in total to ABB Inc., Bornea Dynamics Ltd., Bubble Technology Industries and Mission Control “to advance instrument concepts to support essential scientific activities aligned with the needs of several international partners.”
The new spectrometer by ABB is called ALExIS, short for Autonomous Lunar Exploration Infrared Spectrometer. It is being developed from the company’s existing Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) technology which is widely used in “industrial operations worldwide.”
According to ABB, “ALEXiS will be designed to collect the spectral fingerprint of molecules from the edge of the visual range to the thermal infrared range.”
ABB added that, “Beneath the dusty regolith powder coat of the Moon’s surface, the soil contains many of the key elements necessary to sustain human presence – oxygen, silicon, iron, aluminum, calcium, magnesium and even water ice – embedded in chemical compounds and unevenly distributed. Because of this peculiarity of the lunar landscape, rover-based prospection is likely to become a critical phase of Moon exploration.”
“ALExIS will use FTIR spectroscopy to measure how infrared light interacts with the soil, revealing its chemical composition and mapping the distribution of key elements. This data will provide scientists with vital insights to better understand lunar surface composition and morphology.”
The Lunar Utility Vehicle is currently in the technology study phase with three companies, Canadensys Aerospace, MDA Space and Mission Control, all working technology studies for the Canadian Space Agency. The three companies split a $14.6 million contract award in July.
The Lunar Utility Rover technology requirements include: Support a lifespan of minimum 10 years; Survive the roughly two-week-long lunar night, with temperatures as low as -200°C; Be operated from a Canadian operations centre on Earth and by astronauts on the Moon or in orbit around the Moon and; Utilize robotic tools, scientific instruments and advanced sensors to support operations on the Moon. The rover would be launched to the moon no earlier than 2033.
Marc Corriveau, General Manager for ABB’s Measurement & Analytics division, Canada. said, “We are extremely proud to be a part of this important next chapter of lunar exploration. Our FTIR analytical technology has delivered reliable, high-precision results in demanding industrial environments on Earth, and now it can provide the same level of performance contributing to the exploration of the Moon.”
Updated: The story was updated at 1:07 EST.