Lunar Vertex Lander and Rover
The Mission
The Lunar Vertex (also known as LVx) mission is the first designed to measure the magnetic field on the surface of Reiner Gamma. It will investigate the origin of the magnetic anomalies and swirls, and determine the structure of the mini-magnetosphere that forms over the magnetic anomaly.
It includes orbiter, Nova-C robotic lander and rover, the latter two of which will use Bartington Mag566 magnetometers.
The lunar surface exploration will last for 13 Earth days (one lunar daylight period). The lander will arrive on the surface shortly after local sunrise, and the mission will conclude near sunset. During this time, the rover is expected to travel some 2km across the lunar surface.
The mission is funded through NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, with design led by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
Mag566 Sensors
The data will be correlated with other observations, enabling scientists to understand the origin of the magnetic anomaly and swirl – it is possible that they formed when cometary debris struck the surface, but some other process might be involved.
VML and VMR are placed within relatively small “keep-out zones” on top of the lander and rover. The relative position of each sensor on the mast is measured precisely. Initial estimates for the location and moment of magnetic sources will be obtained from gradients between each sensor in the tetrahedral array. The estimates are then refined using a minimisation algorithm.
Mag566 sensors are a crucial part of the Lunar Vertex mission, and will help to detail the Reiner Gamma magnetic anomaly.
The sensors are mounted on the Vector Magnetometer-Lander (VML), which itself is mounted in a 0.5m mast on the top lander deck. It will operate during descent, starting at 30km above the surface, and will determine the altitude profile of the local lunar magnetic field.
When landing is complete, VML will continue to measure the strength and direction of the magnetic field.
The Vector Magnetometer-Rover (VMR) also includes an array of Mag566 fluxgate magnetometers that will track the geometry and intensity of the magnetic field. As the VMR travels, it will stop to periodically for VML to collect measurements.
Reiner Gamma
Reiner Gamma is a region of the Moon surface featuring swirls that coincide with magnetic anomalies (areas of magnetised crustal rocks). It was first identified using primitive telescopes in the 17th century, but has never been explored in detail.
So far, orbiting spacecraft have detected mini-magnetospheres above the stronger magnetic anomalies. This indicates that local magnetic fields are influencing the Moon’s interaction with solar wind.
This magnetic anomaly is a natural site for examining key questions in several areas of planetary science, including geophysics, geology, and space plasma physics.
Launch Details
The mission is designated Commercial Payload 11, CLPS Flight IM-3 .
It will travel aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launch Block 5 PRISM (IM-3), which is scheduled to launch from Florida USA. See the launch schedule for more details about the launch.
Further Reading
- NASA/JPL Lunar payloads overview
- NASA CP-11 Science Payloads
- Johns Hopkins APL Mission Overview
- NASA press release 21-157: The Lunar Lander
- NASA/Harvard Astrophysics Data System: 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2023 (Abstract)
- USRA 2022 mission overview
- EGU 2023 Report (LPI Contrib. No. 2806)
- NASA Podcast episode 248 “Lunar Vertex”
- Small Satellite Conference – NASA PRISM’s Lunar Vertex Mission
- IM-3 Wikipedia