Lunar Surface Propagation Modeling and Effects on Communications

Hwu, Shian U.; Upanavage, Matthew; Sham, Catherine C.

doi:10.2514/6.2008-5495

Cited by 17 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Regarding the surface-to-surface communication between lander, rover and Remote Units, the local terrain may also influence the reliability of the links. Results as obtained by Hwu et al [9] indicate that topography, signal frequency, antenna location and surface material composition may significantly influence the propagation characteristics of surface networks. Even though the ROBEX demonstration mission used WLAN primarily because of compatibility and cost reasons, it is a subject of current research if WLAN and Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks can be used for a lunar communication infrastructure [10].…”

Section: Demonstration Mission Networkmentioning

confidence: 89%

The Network Infrastructure for the ROBEX Demomission Space

Völk

Kimpe

Wedler

et al. 2018

2018 SpaceOps Conference

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The demonstration mission space of the alliance Robotic Exploration of Extreme Environments (ROBEX) was a campaign on Mt. Etna in summer 2017. The network infrastructure and parts of the ground segment for this demonstration mission space were set up by the Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA) of the DLR. The ground segment included a control center which was based near Catania, Italy. Various terminals allowed for controlling a lander, a robotic rover and several experiment carriers which have been placed in 23 km airline distance on Mt. Etna. The distance was bridged by a radio link between the control center and a base camp at the demonstration site. From the base camp a shorter radio link of several hundreds of meters to the lander was established, and from there, the signal was distributed using several access points.

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Section: Demonstration Mission Networkmentioning

confidence: 89%

The Network Infrastructure for the ROBEX Demomission Space

Völk

Kimpe

Wedler

et al. 2018

2018 SpaceOps Conference

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“…Given the primary objective of establishing unobstructed line-of-sight communication between transmitting and receiving units, this level of loss was disregarded. In [ 24 ], there was an attempt to develop a propagation analysis incorporating terrain characteristics, frequency considerations, and antenna height. The aforementioned models did not directly account for these factors.…”

Section: Lunar Surface Propagation Path Loss Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Lunar Communications and Antennas: Assessing Performance in the Context of Propagation and Radiation

Serria,

Gadhafi,

AlMaeeni

et al. 2023

Sensors

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Over the previous two decades, a notable array of space exploration missions have been initiated with the primary aim of facilitating the return of both humans and robots from Earth to the moon. The significance of these endeavors cannot be emphasized enough as numerous entities, both public and private, from across the globe have invested substantial resources into this pursuit. Researchers have committed their efforts to addressing the challenges linked to lunar communication. Even with all of these efforts, only a few of the many suggested designs for communication and antennas on the moon have been evaluated and compared. These designs have also not been shared with the scientific community. To bridge this gap in the existing body of knowledge, this paper conducts a thorough review of lunar surface communication and the diverse antenna designs employed in lunar communication systems. This paper provides a summary of the findings presented in lunar surface communication research while also outlining the assorted challenges that impact lunar communication. Apart from various antenna designs reported in this field, based on their intended usage, two additional classifications are introduced: (a) mission-based antennas—utilized in actual lunar missions—and (b) research-based antennas—employed solely for research purposes. Given the critical need to comprehend and predict lunar conditions and antenna behaviors within those conditions, this review holds immense significance. Its relevance is particularly pronounced in light of the numerous upcoming lunar missions that have been announced.

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“…is not affected by ground effects. Under these conditions, the propagation model on the lunar surface could be approximated to the free-space model, even for long-range distances [ 62 , 63 ]. We assume that the transmission power of our nodes may be adjustable between

dBm and

dBm; we also assume a carrier frequency of

MHz.…”

Section: Placement Algorithm Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Placement Algorithm Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

An ACOR-Based Multi-Objective WSN Deployment Example for Lunar Surveying

López-Matencio

2016

Sensors

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Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can gather in situ real data measurements and work unattended for long periods, even in remote, rough places. A critical aspect of WSN design is node placement, as this determines sensing capacities, network connectivity, network lifetime and, in short, the whole operational capabilities of the WSN. This paper proposes and studies a new node placement algorithm that focus on these aspects. As a motivating example, we consider a network designed to describe the distribution of helium-3 (3He), a potential enabling element for fusion reactors, on the Moon. 3He is abundant on the Moon’s surface, and knowledge of its distribution is essential for future harvesting purposes. Previous data are inconclusive, and there is general agreement that on-site measurements, obtained over a long time period, are necessary to better understand the mechanisms involved in the distribution of this element on the Moon. Although a mission of this type is extremely complex, it allows us to illustrate the main challenges involved in a multi-objective WSN placement problem, i.e., selection of optimal observation sites and maximization of the lifetime of the network. To tackle optimization, we use a recent adaptation of the ant colony optimization (ACOR) metaheuristic, extended to continuous domains. Solutions are provided in the form of a Pareto frontier that shows the optimal equilibria. Moreover, we compared our scheme with the four-directional placement (FDP) heuristic, which was outperformed in all cases.

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Lunar Surface Propagation Modeling and Effects on Communications

Abstract: Abstract-This

Cited by 17 publications

References 6 publications

The Network Infrastructure for the ROBEX Demomission Space

The Network Infrastructure for the ROBEX Demomission Space

A Review of Lunar Communications and Antennas: Assessing Performance in the Context of Propagation and Radiation

An ACOR-Based Multi-Objective WSN Deployment Example for Lunar Surveying

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