The Design of Payload Lunar Regolith Penetrating Radar on Chang'E-5 Lander

Abstract

Sampling return in Chang'E-5 (CE-5) mission is the third phase of three strategic steps of China's lunar program. The three strategic steps are orbiting, landing, and returning. The sampling and drilling device is mounted on the Lander. One task of the CE-5 Lunar Regolith Penetrating Radar (LRPR) is to provide information support for the drilling and sampling device. This article introduces the scientific objectives of CE-5 LRPR and the difference with Chang'E-3 lunar penetrating radar. The system design, working principle, imaging, and calibration methods of LRPR are the highlight. Considering that the Lander is stationary, and its bottom is about 90 cm from the lunar surface, an antenna array is adopted to probe the subsurface structure and the regolith thickness for supporting the drilling. The design uses a pre-amplifier circuit to increase the dynamic range of the whole system, which enhances the detection effect of shallow lunar soil structure. For verifying the probing ability of LRPR, the marble slabs, metal balls, and stones are buried in the volcanic ash pool in advance for detection and verification. The pre-stack Kirchhoff depth migration imaging method is adopted to identify the burial depth and thickness of the target. The verification results meet the task requirements.