NASA Space Technology Report: Low Cost Robotic Lunar Lander (COMPASS Final Report), Launch Options including SpaceX, Subsystems, Costs and Risks

The goal of this COllaborative Modeling for the Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) session was to use Total Low Cost as the objective function, and design a Robotic Lunar Lander to deliver an unspecified payload (greater than zero) to the lunar surface for the lowest cost. The spacecraft designed as the baseline out of this study was a solar powered robotic lander, launched on a Minotaur V launch vehicle on a direct injection trajectory to the lunar surface. A Star 27 solid rocket motor does lunar capture and performs 88 percent of the descent burn. The Robotic Lunar Lander soft-lands using a hydrazine propulsion system to perform the last 10 percent of the landing maneuver, leaving the descent at a near zero, but not exactly zero, terminal velocity. This low-cost robotic lander delivers 10 kg of science payload instruments to the lunar surface.

1.0 Executive Summary * 2.0 Study Background and Assumptions * 2.1 Introduction * 2.2 Assumptions and Approach * 2.2.1 Survey Starting Points * 2.2.2 Fault Tolerance * 2.3 Growth, Contingency and Margin Policy * 2.4 Mission Description * 2.4.1 Mission Analysis Assumptions * 2.4.2 Main Mission Trajectory Options * 2.4.3 Mission Analysis Event Timeline * 2.4.4 Mission Trajectory Details * 2.5 Small Launch Vehicle Details * 2.5.1 Minotaur * 2.5.2 SpaceX—Alternate Launch Vehicle Option * 2.6 System Design Trade Space: Preliminary Analysis * 2.7 Baseline System Design * 3.0 Baseline Design * 3.1 Top Level Design (MEL and PEL) * 3.1.1 Master Equipment List (MEL) * 3.1.2 Power Equipment List (PEL) * 3.2 System Level Summary * 3.3 Design Concept Drawing and Description * 4.0 Subsystem Breakdown * 4.1 Communications * 4.1.1 Communications Requirements * 4.1.2 Communications Assumptions * 4.1.3 Communications Design and MEL * 4.1.4 Communications Trades * 4.1.5 Communications Analytical Methods * 4.1.6 Communications Risk Inputs * 4.1.7 Communications Recommendation * 4.2 Avionics * 4.2.1 Avionics Requirements * 4.2.2 Avionics Assumptions * 4.2.3 Avionics Design and MEL * 4.2.4 Avionics Trades * 4.2.5 Avionics Analytical Methods * 4.2.6 Avionics Risk Inputs * 4.2.7 Avionics Recommendation * 4.3 Electrical Power System * 4.3.1 Electrical Power Requirements * 4.3.2 Electrical Power Assumptions * 4.3.3 Electrical Power Design and MEL * 4.3.4 Electrical Power Trades * 4.3.5 Electrical Power Analytical Methods * 4.3.6 Electrical Power Risk Inputs * 4.3.7 Electrical Power Recommendation * 4.4 Structures and Mechanisms * 4.4.1 Structures and Mechanisms Requirements * 4.4.2 Structures and Mechanisms Assumptions * 4.4.3 Structures and Mechanisms Design and MEL * 4.4.4 Structures and Mechanisms Trades * 4.4.5 Structures and Mechanisms Analytical Methods * 4.4.6 Structures and Mechanisms Risk Inputs * 4.4.7 Structures and Mechanisms Recommendation * 4.5 Propulsion and Propellant Management * 4.5.1 Propulsion and Propellant Management Requirements * 4.5.2 Propulsion and Propellant Management Assumptions * 4.5.3 Propulsion and Propellant Management Analytical Methods * 4.5.4 Propulsion and Propellant Management Design and MEL * 4.5.5 Propulsion and Propellant Management Trades * 4.5.6 Propulsion and Propellant Management Risk Inputs * 4.5.7 Propulsion and Propellant Management Recommendation * 4.6 Thermal Control * 4.6.1 Thermal Requirements * 4.6.2 Thermal Assumptions * 4.6.3 Thermal Design and MEL * 4.6.4 Thermal Trades * 4.6.5 Thermal Analytical Methods * 4.6.6 Thermal Risk Inputs * 4.6.7 Thermal Recommendation * 5.0 Cost, Risk and Reliability * 5.1 Costing: Baseline Chemical Lunar Lander * 5.2 Cost Modeling Assumptions * 5.3 Cost Modeling Approach * 6.0 Trade Space Iterations * 6.1 Case 1: Off-the-Shelf Chemical Propulsion * 6.2 Case 2: Off-the-Shelf Electric Propulsion * 6.3 Case 3: Advanced Direct Drive Electric Propulsion * Appendix A.—Acronyms and Abbreviations * Appendix B.—Case 1 Rendered Design Drawings * Appendix C.—Study Participants * Bibliography