Operation and Study of Lunar Analogues with a Handheld Combined Raman-LIBS Instrument: PHOENIX for PANGAEA

Operation and study of Lunar analogues with a handheld combined Raman-LIBS instrument: PHOENIX for PANGAEA A. G. Moral1(*), C. P. Canora1, L. Seoane1, P. Rodiguez1, J. Zafra1, J. A. Rodriguez1, M. Benito1, P. Santamaría1, R. Canchal1, T.Belenguer1, O. Prieto-Ballesteros2, E. Losantos2, A. Molina2, O. Ercilla2, I. López3, J.A. Manrique4, G. Lopez-Reyes4, I. Hutchinson5, H. Lerman5, M. McHugh5, A. Higginson6, Y. Brown6, I. Drozdovskiy7, A. J. Ball8 1INTA (Ctra.Torrejón - Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain) 2Centro de Astrobiología-CSIC-INTA (28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain) 3Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) (28933 Móstoles, Spain) 4Universidad de Valladolid. Av. Francisco Valles, 8. (47152 Valladolid, Spain) 5University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom, 6Mission Control (162 Elm StW, Ottawa, ON K1R 6N5, Canada) 7 Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency (ESA/EAC), Cologne, Germany 8Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency (ESA/ESTEC), Noordwijk, The Netherlands (*) corresponding author: mor[email protected] Introduction: Within the framework of ESA contract [4000138579/22/NL/AT], the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA) has coordinated and technically led the development of two portable and handheld prototypes for ESA's PANGAEA (Planetary Analogue Geological and Astrobiological Exercise for Astronauts) program [1], through the PHOENIX (Portable Handheld cOmbinEd RamaN-LIBS-XRF) project [2]. The ultimate objective of this project is to develop advanced instrumentation capable of determining the chemical and molecular composition of lunar rocks and samples in situ, and to learn about the optimization of the operation of this kind of instrument for future use on the lunar surface by astronauts. The instruments: As a result of this project, two instruments have been developed and delivered to ESA: the BB1, which combines Raman and LIBS techniques (under INTA responsibility), and the BB2, combining Raman and XRF techniques (responsibility of University of Leicester). Each pair of techniques thus covers the acquisition of information on the elemental and molecular chemical composition of each sample analyzed by these instruments. In addition, both instruments are equipped with a camera for obtaining close up images of the sample, but also capable of operating in video mode to facilitate the operator's selection of the analysis point on the rock or sample of interest, and a decision capability of the point of analysis based on the astronaut perception on the sample: colour, texture, grain size… These developments have been possible thanks to the coordinated work of a consortium formed by the following institutions, universities, and private companies: INTA (Spain), the University of Leicester (UK), the University of Valladolid (Spain), and the Canadian company Mission Control Space Systems Inc. (Canada). The Raman-LIBS instrument (BB1) results: Following the verification work on the BB1 instrument, Raman and LIBS analyses have continued at INTA on various lunar analog samples to demonstrate the outstanding scientific capabilities of this combined spectrometer concept, while operational testing of the instrument has continued using the nominal operating sequence: video, image, Raman, LIBS, image. Furthermore, mobility and ergonomics tests have been performed on LUNA [3] to provide input for a future increase in the instrument's TRL. Status: After the BBs delivery in late 2024, the instruments will be fully accepted by ESA in Q1-Q2 2025, and final scientific performances on Lunar representative samples demonstrated before the end of the Project before Summer 2025. This BB1 final results will be shown during the Lunar Symposium. Acknowledgements This work is funded by ESA contract 4000138579/22/NL/AT, and MCIN PID2022142490OB-C31/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 project. References: [1] Francesco Sauro et al. (2023) Acta Astronautica, Volume 204, 222-238. [2] Thierry Fouchet et al. (2022), Icarus, Volume 373, 114773 [2] A.G. Moral et al. (2024). 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Milan, Italy, 14-18 October 2024. IAC-24-A3.2C.12 [3] Andrea E.M. Casini et al. (2020) Journal of Space Safety Engineering,Volume 7, Issue 4, 2020, Pages 510-518.