Next-Generation Geodesy at the Lunar South Pole: An Opportunity Enabled by the Artemis III Crew
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Vishnu Viswanathan, Erwan Mazarico, Stephen Merkowitz, Xiaoli Sun, Thomas Marshall Eubanks and David Edmund Smith, Next-Generation Geodesy at the Lunar South Pole: An Opportunity Enabled by the Artemis III Crew, https://arxiv.org/abs/2009.03985
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This work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
Public Domain Mark 1.0
This work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
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Abstract
Lunar retro-reflector arrays (LRAs) consisting of corner-cube reflectors (CCRs) placed on the nearside of the Moon during the Apollo era have demonstrated their longevity, cost-effectiveness, ease of deployment, and most importantly their interdisciplinary scientific impact through the ongoing lunar laser ranging (LLR) experiment. The human exploration of the lunar south polar region provides a unique opportunity to build on this legacy and contribute to the scientific return of the Artemis, for many decades to come. Here we outline the extended science objectives realizable with the deployment of geodetic tracking devices by the Artemis III crew.