The Lunar Split Mission: Concepts for Robotically Constructed Lunar Bases

In this paper, we consider the development of a lunar base at the Moon's southern pole to simultaneously support NASA's exploration and science goals. From such a vantage point, both lunar resource utilization and very- long baseline interferometry for astrophysics and astrobiology could be carried out. The work is an outgrowth of a study performed in the summer of 1988 at the NASA Johnson Space Center by a multi-disciplinary team of graduate students. The problem addressed was the development of a permanently manned lunar base, taking into consideration the constraints of the high cost of transporting materials to the moon and the high risk associated with astronaut extra- vehicular activity. The objective of the study was to develop a scenario for the build-up of a lunar base which minimizes the mass delivered to the lunar surface, provides the initial crew with an immediate long stay capability, and minimizes risk both to lunar astronauts and to the lunar exploration program. The result was the development of the Lunar Split Mission concept, which posits that lunar bases will be assembled and readied for use by autonomous and human-controlled robots prior to the arrival of astronauts. The concept is updated herein to incorporate technological advances that have occurred in the past 17 years, particularly in telerobotics, automation and autonomy, communications, navigation and information technology.