Engineering Issues for Early Lunar‐Based Telescopes |
| |
Authors: | Stewart W. Johnson Jack O. Burns Koon Meng Chua John P. Wetzel |
| |
Affiliation: | 1Prin. Engr., Advanced Basing Systems, BDM Int., Inc., 1801 Randolph Rd., S.E., Albuquerque, NM 87106 2Prof. and Head, Dept. of Astronomy, New Mexico State Univ., Box 30001∕Dept. 4500, Las Cruces, NM 88003 3Asst. Prof., Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 4Struct.∕Dynamics Engr., Grumman Space Station Program Support Div., 1760 Business Ctr. Dr., Reston, VA 22060
|
| |
Abstract: | A telescope on the Moon is needed for astronomy and can be constructed in this decade or early in the next century. Design for this telescope will be fundamentally different from the design of free‐flying telescopes. Its design will be more like the new Keck telescope being completed on a mountaintop in Hawaii than the Hubble Space Telescope, in low Earth orbit. Success of the lunar‐based telescope will depend on an appropriately engineered structure, a suitable interface (foundation) in the lunar soil, and a carefully thought out construction process. Participation of engineers in identifying and resolving issues for this extraterrestrial engineering and construction project is a natural extension of the traditional engineering role, and will prepare the engineering and construction communities for the subsequent greater challenges associated with basing on the Moon. These communities need to document now the types of data and information that NASA should obtain in the next early lunar missions so that construction on the Moon will be facilitated. |
| |
Keywords: | Moon Telescopes Space structures Foundations Construction Engineering profession Professional role |
|
|