Fundamental parameters modeling for the lunar telescope

Abstract

The powerful flow of highly accurate and multiparameter information produced by spacecrafts has caused a surge interest in the industrial robotic exploration of the Moon and manned flight to Mars after the creation of long-term lunar bases. The modern level of both ongoing and planned lunar studies is characterized by a high level of observation accuracy and a large variety of observation methods. The study of the Moon’s rotational parameters (MRP) is of important value. For this reason, new methods for analyzing big data sets on observation of MRP and extracting the highest possible amount of scientific information from them are needed. Such space technologies require the creation of in-situ telescopes on the Moon. The long-term laser measurements have supplied comprehensive observational information about the Moon. This allows for a description of the Moon’s dynamics with the accuracy required at the current stage - the error of determining the distance to the Moon should be less than a meter, while the one of establishing rotational parameters - arc milliseconds. Nevertheless, there is a necessity to obtain observation data independent of laser measurements. One of the ways to do it is to place on the lunar surface one or several optical telescopes, that will allow determining lunar rotational parameters by measuring the trajectories of the stars and will also be used to solve astrophysical and astrometric problems in the future. This work considers the results of computer modeling of observations taken by lunar in-situ telescopes located at various selenographic latitudes. The sensitivity of MRP to the observed selenographic coordinates of the stars is assessed. Based on the analysis of the simulation results, the optimum location of the telescope is concluded to be at a latitude of 30–45°. The constructive suggestions on the described experiment’s implementation are presented in the paper. The details that will allow implementing or declining the practical implementation of the in-situ telescope are discussed.