講演情報
[PPS02-P19]Development of PALSAC: A Portable Automatic Lunar Stone Analysis Cube for Crewed Lunar Landing Missions
*仲内 悠祐1、福永 竜太郎1、加古川 篤1、長岡 央1 (1.立命館大学)
キーワード：
ハイパースペクトルカメラ、月探査、着陸探査、火星探査
The mission plans of manned lunar landing explorations are currently underway under the Artemis program. The use of high-performance yet lightweight scientific instruments during astronauts’ extravehicular activities is expected to advance resource exploration and lunar science. It is desirable to conduct geological investigations not only of regolith but also of boulders after removing the space-weathered surface layer. The results of geological investigations serve as an important indicator for the selection of high-quality return samples that have not been affected by brecciation and/or space weathering during their extended residence on the lunar surface.
We are developing the Portable Automatic Lunar Stone Analysis Cube (PALSAC) for in-situ geological surveys and return sample selection. PALSAC has the capability for sequential analysis using a dry grinding tool without liquid coolant and a microscopic hyperspectral imager covering the Vis-NIR spectral range. Grinding tests of PALSAC were conducted on irregularly shaped samples of lherzolite (Japan) and plagioclase (Madagascar). The samples were ground under ambient conditions without liquid coolant. Grinding was performed using synthetic diamond bits with grit sizes of 60 (coarse), 80 (medium), and 100 (fine) at several feed rates. After grinding, the surface roughness was measured using a 3D optical profilometer (VR-6000, Keyence, Osaka, Japan), and reflectance spectra were acquired using a microscopic hyperspectral imager [1]. The samples were successfully ground using all bits. The medium-grade bit achieved the smoothest surface, whereas the fine-grade bit exhibited residual cutting marks due to insufficient clamping force from the fractal vise unit during grinding.
Reference: [1] Y. Nakauchi et al., (2025), 56th LPSC, abstract #2279
We are developing the Portable Automatic Lunar Stone Analysis Cube (PALSAC) for in-situ geological surveys and return sample selection. PALSAC has the capability for sequential analysis using a dry grinding tool without liquid coolant and a microscopic hyperspectral imager covering the Vis-NIR spectral range. Grinding tests of PALSAC were conducted on irregularly shaped samples of lherzolite (Japan) and plagioclase (Madagascar). The samples were ground under ambient conditions without liquid coolant. Grinding was performed using synthetic diamond bits with grit sizes of 60 (coarse), 80 (medium), and 100 (fine) at several feed rates. After grinding, the surface roughness was measured using a 3D optical profilometer (VR-6000, Keyence, Osaka, Japan), and reflectance spectra were acquired using a microscopic hyperspectral imager [1]. The samples were successfully ground using all bits. The medium-grade bit achieved the smoothest surface, whereas the fine-grade bit exhibited residual cutting marks due to insufficient clamping force from the fractal vise unit during grinding.
Reference: [1] Y. Nakauchi et al., (2025), 56th LPSC, abstract #2279