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STATEMENT OF WORK

THSiRU - Terahertz Heterodyne Spectrometer For In-Situ Resource Utilization

Laser desorption system effort with University of Virginal

Background THSiRU, Terahertz Heterodyne Spectrometer for In Situ Resource Utilization, is a two-year technology development project funded by the Early Career Initiative (ECI) Program appointed by NASA Headquarters. This project aims to mature Terahertz (THz) instruments for future lunar missions, including the Artemis program. THSiRU shall develop a compact and power-efficient laser-desorption heterodyne spectrometer to detect H2O, OH and/or HDO trapped in the lunar regolith. The science objectives for THSiRU are listed below:

1. Determine if the Moon’s regolith and exosphere are hydrated by detection or non-detection of pure rotational transitions of H2O at 2.64 THz, OH at 2.51 THz, and HDO at 2.60 THz.

2. Discriminate between models of indigenous or exogenous water.

3. Evaluate the total volatile and solid phase water budgets.

Scope THSiRU core system contain a spectrometer designed to detect volatiles from the lunar subsurface by ablating the surface using a green laser (1064 nm). The spectral line will be digitized using ASIC spectrometer for nearly a real time and post-process analysis. A block diagram of the system is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 system block diagram shows the communication between the different subsystems. 3-4 lines to command and control, and about 5-6 telemetry lines to read current/voltage and temperature.

Requirements

LAS-1 - THSiRU shall have a laser desorption source and a driver (LAS) - that is compact and low-power.

LAS-2 - The LAS shall have a wavelength of 1064 or 532 nm to ensure the volatilization of target lunar materials.

LAS-3 - The LAS shall penetrate the lunar regolith with a laser spot size of about 100 microns.

LAS-5 - The LAS shall have enough pulse energy for ablation.

LAS-6 - The LAS shall ablate the lunar regolith within a small cone.

LAS-7 - The LAS shall have an operational temperature as specified by the laser manufacturer

Deliverables or Delivery Schedule

The University of Virginia (UVa) shall develop the compact laser desorption system of THSiRU to flash desorb trapped H2O, OH, and/or HDO from lunar regolith analog samples. The following list summarizes the work to be completed by UVa:

Task 1. Determine a compact, low-weight, low DC power laser and its driver electronics to ensure feasible incorporation to the THSiRU mechanical design and to ensure flash desorption of H2O (2.64 THz), OH (2.509 THz) and/or HDO without photodissociation. UVa will work with GSFC in designing and fabricating a custom laser driver electronics and housing design that meet THSiRU’s form-factor requirements.

Task 2. Use the laser to establish the flash desorption technique, including the optimal optical design and standard operating procedures for flash desorption of H2O, OH, and/or HDO from lunar regolith analog samples in a laboratory setting.

Task 3. Characterize the desorption capabilities of the laser system to understand the effect of laser parameters on ablation.

Task 4. Once the design and operating procedures are defined (1-3), UVA will work with the NASA THSiRU Team to test the detection capabilities of the THz-heterodyne spectrometer

Place of Performance The majority of the support will take place at the GES Facility

Period of Performance Tasks Timeline Task 1 March Task 2 April Task 3 May Task 4 July