Location
Cocoa Beach, FL
Start Date
5-4-1965 8:00 AM
Description
This paper presents an examination of the guidance and navigation requirements for NASA's "MOLAB" vehicle (Mobile Lunar Lab.). The functions and capabilities necessary to guide and navigate a roving vehicle over the area of the lunar surface for exploration and experimental investigations are considered. A mission profile is afforded — providing a general outline of environmental, navigation and guidance, and survey requirements.
The fact that the moon will eventually be explored by man is a foregone conclusion. Aside from the central fact that it exists and can be reached, which in the context of the entire history of the human race implies that it will someday be explored, there are other, more practical and compelling reasons. The moon should supply information on comparative planetology and the evolution of the solar system; it has potential as a way station enroute to other space destinations; it may prove to be a source of valuable minerals and raw materials. When the moon exploration will take place is more of an open question.
The idea of exploring the moon is, of course, not new. Earthbound explorations have been in progress for several centuries via the media of the telescope, the camera, and, more recently, radar. The last few years, however, have witnessed the first successful attempts at viewing the moon close-up. Ranger VII provided photographs of the lunar surface with detail which was, until then, unobtainable. The next step, Surveyor, will permit sampling the surface of the moon. Other lunar exploration programs now in the preparatory stage include the lunar orbiter system, which is scheduled for its first flight in 1966. But all of these programs have restrictions of one sort or another. Either they do not provide a means of sampling the surface or they provide limited coverage. What will ultimately be required is an integrated overall program to obtain information on the total moon.
Lunar Surface Navigation for a Roving Vehicle (MOLAB)
Cocoa Beach, FL
This paper presents an examination of the guidance and navigation requirements for NASA's "MOLAB" vehicle (Mobile Lunar Lab.). The functions and capabilities necessary to guide and navigate a roving vehicle over the area of the lunar surface for exploration and experimental investigations are considered. A mission profile is afforded — providing a general outline of environmental, navigation and guidance, and survey requirements.
The fact that the moon will eventually be explored by man is a foregone conclusion. Aside from the central fact that it exists and can be reached, which in the context of the entire history of the human race implies that it will someday be explored, there are other, more practical and compelling reasons. The moon should supply information on comparative planetology and the evolution of the solar system; it has potential as a way station enroute to other space destinations; it may prove to be a source of valuable minerals and raw materials. When the moon exploration will take place is more of an open question.
The idea of exploring the moon is, of course, not new. Earthbound explorations have been in progress for several centuries via the media of the telescope, the camera, and, more recently, radar. The last few years, however, have witnessed the first successful attempts at viewing the moon close-up. Ranger VII provided photographs of the lunar surface with detail which was, until then, unobtainable. The next step, Surveyor, will permit sampling the surface of the moon. Other lunar exploration programs now in the preparatory stage include the lunar orbiter system, which is scheduled for its first flight in 1966. But all of these programs have restrictions of one sort or another. Either they do not provide a means of sampling the surface or they provide limited coverage. What will ultimately be required is an integrated overall program to obtain information on the total moon.
