<p>This work presents the latest results on the estimations of Water Equivalent Hydrogen (WEH) gathered in martian areas Vera Rubin ridge (VRR) and Glen Torridon (GT) by the Dynamic Albedo of Neutron (DAN) instrument installed onboard NASA&#8217;s Curiosity rover. The main science objective of DAN is to study bound water content in shallow layer of martian subsurface down to 0.6 m [1].</p><p>Extensive scientific campaign on Vera Rubin ridge was started in the middle of 2017 and lasted until the beginning of 2019 when the rover reached another region &#8211; Glen Torridon. VRR is mostly related to hematite minerals that might be formed in the presence of liquid water. On the other hand, GT region is thought to be associated with clay minerals, according to CRISM observations [2].</p><p>We will present the latest results on DAN passive observations in these Mars areas. Data are referred to the period of more than 3 years of observations or MSL traverse segment from 17 km to 23 km. The main result is the notable increase of WEH in GT in comparison with VRR, as well as in comparison with the whole Curiosity traverse. Possibly, the increase may indicate on the qualitative difference in neutron-absorption elements that are forming the soil of the GT region.</p><p>References:</p><p>[1] <em>Mitrofanov, I. G., et al., (2014). Water and chlorine content in the Martian soil along the first 1900 m of the Curiosity rover traverse as estimated by the DAN instrument. J. Geophys. Res., 119(7), 1579&#8211;1596. doi:10.1002/2013JE004553.</em></p><p>[2] <em>Murchie, S. L., et al. (2009), Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars investigation and data set from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's primary science phase, J. Geophys. Res., 114, E00D07, doi:10.1029/2009JE003344.</em></p>
In this work, a cellular automata (CA) approach was used to generate 3D structures of polyamide and carbon aerogels. Experimental results are used as initial data for materials’ digital representations and to verify the developed CA models. Based on the generated digital structures, a computer study of aerogels’ mechanical properties was conducted. The offered CA models can be applied for the development of new nanoporous materials such as aerogels of different nature and allow for a reduction in the amount of required full-scale experiments, consequently decreasing development time and costs of new material formulations.
In this work, a cellular automata approach was investigated for modeling three-dimensional fibrous nanoporous aerogel structures. A model for the generation of fibrous structures using the Bezier curves is proposed. Experimental chitosan-based aerogel particles were obtained for which analytical studies of the structural characteristics were carried out. The data obtained were used to generate digital copies of chitosan-based aerogel structures and to assess the accuracy of the developed model. The obtained digital copies of chitosan-based aerogel structures will be used to create digital copies of aerogel structures with embedded active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and further predict the release of APIs from these structures.
<p>Scientific goals, current status and nearest plans for Russian Landers missions with Luna-25 (project Luna-Glob) and Luna-27 (project Luna-Resource) will be presented. Both projects aimed on search for volatiles and water ice in upper layer of regolith, study structure and content of regolith and investigate of Moon&#8217;s near-surface dust and plasma exosphere at lunar polar regions.</p><p>The scientific experiments which were selected in accordance to the main goals of these missions, will be described. Main and spare landing sites for Luna-25 will be presented selected on the base both of engineering suitability (flatness and roughness of surface, radio visibility, solar irradiation and so on) and of scientific motivation. Criteria for landing sites selection for Luna-27 will be discribed shortly too. The plan of surface operations during the first lunar days for Luna-25 and Luna-27 will be presented and discussed.</p><p>The content of international cooperation for Luna-25 and Luna-27 missions will be described.</p><p>It will be shown that Luna-25 and Luna-27 shell provide the necessary scientific and technological ground for future long life-time Landers at the Moon polar regions.</p>
<p>The most interesting sites for future lunar outposts are thought to be located closely to poles, and South one is found to be more preferable.&#160; But before humans could land there, the sequence of robotic missions should be implemented to study the natural environment at the selected sites, to deliver some supporting systems for ensuring conditions of habitability and also to test the innovated technology for Earth-Moon-Earth round trip.</p><p>Therefore, the Russian Lunar Program will be ignited by four robotic missions, which Russian Academy of Science has selected for the initial stage of this Program. Their names Luna-25 -28 were selected taking into account the name of the last Soviet lander Luna-24 of 1976. The objectives of these missions are critically important for accomplishment of the future polar expeditions of humans. The missions will conduct orbital mapping of polar regions with fine spatial resolution, measurements of radiation environment at the selected landing sites, testing of water and space volatiles in the polar regolith, and, in particular &#8211; testing presence of complex molecules and pre-biotic molecular complexes, the lunar dust and exosphere, etc. Mobile elements of landing missions will investigate local areas around the landing sites to determine the best spots for the future habitation modules of human missions. In addition, the researches for the basic science will also be accomplished by these missions, such as the experiments for lunar-based astronomy at long wavelengths and at gamma-rays, the experiments for lunar seismology, for monitoring of interplanetary plasma and solar wind, etc.</p><p>The talk presents in details the concept of the key mission of the first stage of the Lunar Program, the Luna-28 mission for lunar polar sample return. The mission concept is based on the several basic requirements. The mission should have the return module for direct flight from Moon to Earth. The module should be able to deliver to the Earth a set of samples of polar regolith with the total mass of about 2 kilograms. They should be quarried from different depths of the shallow subsurface from several cm down to 1 meter. Samples should be delivered to the Earth with all volatiles, including water, in the frozen state. Small moonrover &#8220;Lunokhod&#8221; with mass below 100 kg should be delivered to the Moon by the lander. Before the launch of the return module, the rover could deliver remotely selected stones for return at the nearest vicinity of the lander, after the launch, the rover should conduct scientific studies of the area around the landing site.</p><p>The mission of Luna-28 will also be supported by the ground segment for proper curation of delivered samples and for their studies in the leading domestic and international research centers. The complex molecules and organic molecular complexes will be the main objects for these studies. &#160;&#160;</p>
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