Field Testing of K10 with HYDRA at NASA Ames Research Center

Abstract

High resolution hydrogen surface mapping is essential for locating and characterizing water ice and other hydrogenous volatile deposits in permanently shadowed lunar craters. This is especially important for potential in-situ resource utilization. Although orbital remote sensing can provide much information, prospecting for near-subsurface resources can only be performed directly on the surface. The small HYDRA neutron spectrometer has been successfully integrated onto the K10 Black planetary rover, operated by the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA Ames Research Center [1,2]. The system was used to assess hydrogen content in an initial set of field tests at Ames. During these tests, we successfully detected and mapped targets of various hydrogen contents and burial depths. TEST OBJECTIVES The objectives of the exercise were as follows: • Integrate and operate the HYDRA neutron spectrometer with the K10 Black rover. • Acquire HYDRA data as the rover navigates a grid of GPS waypoints chosen without prior knowledge of the target locations. • Detect and localize near-surface enhanced hydrogen deposits within the rover test area.