Fundamentals of lunar gravity field recovery

Abstract

There are four principal scientific reasons for a return to the Moon, popularly described as the science of the Moon, science from the Moon, science on the Moon and, fourth, the exploration and possible future utilisation of lunar resources. All of these contribute in their own way to the understanding of the solar system and in particular to the knowledge of the origin and development of the Earth-Moon system. In this book, focus is on the role of gravity analysis as an independent discipline as well as the scientific return through interaction with other selenophysical and selenochemical data sets; in other words gravity-related science of the Moon. Such analysis is, however, inherently tangled with satellite orbit analysis, and, hence, both precise orbit requirements for mapping purposes and more general mission design considerations (long-term orbit behaviour, frozen or periodic orbits) are also discussed.

‘It may be no surprise that human mind can deduce the laws of falling objects, because the brain has evolved to devise strategies for dodging them.’

Paul Davies