Lunar optical wireless communication and navigation network for robotic and human exploration

摘要

Exploration of the moon is a stepping stone for further research of our solar system, the galaxy and, ultimately, the universe. Many intriguing questions arise regarding the moon; what is the moon's composition and structure, what is the potential for settlement or colonization and how did our solar system evolve to name a few. New technologies are required in order to answer these questions. The main goal in our project is to develop technologies for optical wireless communication and navigation systems for use in robotic and in human exploration on the moon. These technologies facilitate the exploration of the moon surface by enabling placing scientific equipment at precise locations and subsequently transferring the acquired information at high data rates. The main advantages of optical technology in comparison with RF technology are: a) high data rate transmission, b) small size and weight of equipment, c) low power consumption, d) very high accuracy in measuring range and orientation and e) no contamination of the quiet electromagnetic (EM) environment on the dark side of the moon In this paper we present a mathematical model and an engineering implementation of a system that simultaneously communicates, and measures the location and orientation of a remote robot on the moon.