This slide presentation explores some of the issues that concern the engineers and planners of the Altair Lunar landing module. Particular attention is paid to the issues concerning Lunar dust, and attempts that will be made to test the Altair systems using Lunar dust simulants

Rucker, Michelle a.

NASA Technical Reports Server

Altair Cover Page Altair
Lunar Regolith Simulant Workshop
Michelle Rucker
Test & Verification Lead
Altair (Lunar Lander) Project Office
Constellation
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20090012186 2019-08-30T06:33:43+00:00Z
ALTAIR:  LUNAR LANDER
 4 crew to and from the 
surface
 Global access capability
 Anytime return to Earth
 Capability to land cargo
 Descent Stage
 Ascent Stage
 Airlock for surface 
activities
ALTAIR:  BUILDING ON APOLLO’S FOUNDATION
Height:  7 m
Diameter: 9 m
Height:  10 m
Diameter: 15 m
Apollo Lunar Module
Constellation Altair 
Lunar Lander10
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ALTAIR:  CONFIGURATION VARIANTS
Outpost Variant
Descent Module
Ascent Module
Sortie Variant
Descent Module
Ascent Module
Airlock
Cargo Variant
Descent Module
Cargo on Upper 
Deck
ALTAIR:  LUNAR DUST CONCERNS
• CxIRMA 3389  Lunar Dust Impact for Altair
– Integrated dust management requirements are immature
– Late requirements changes could impact mass, cost, and schedule 
• Potential Issues for Altair
– Impaired landing visibility (descent engine/surface interaction)
– Landing gear interaction with Lunar surface
– Depress/repress and pressure equalization valve sealing
– Compatibility with regenerative Life Support subsystem
– Interference with smoke detectors
– Surface abrasion/erosion  and penetration of seals
– Degradation of electrical circuits
– Obstruction/clogging of openings and filters
– Physical interference/fouling of mating or moving parts
– Changes to thermal properties
– Interference with optical characteristics
– Overheating/fire hazard due to restricted ventilation or cooling
ALTAIR:  POSSIBLE LUNAR SIMULANT TESTS
 Integrated System-Level Tests
– Develop/Evaluate Requirements  
• Develop techniques to quantify dust migration from EVA to Altair 
• Migration from Altair to Orion
– Evaluate dust mitigation strategies, tools, and procedures
 System-Level Tests
– Dust plume characterization during descent
– Evaluate Altair cabin “Cleanability” 
• Includes cleaning/containing the cleaning tools!
• Retention & disposal of captured regolith/dust
 Subsystem-Level Tests
– Life support subsystem compatibility and performance
– Cabin air filtering and smoke detector performance
– Landing gear impact attenuation 
– Targeted testing to anchor thermal performance models
– Hatch and valve actuation & sealing evaluations
– Window/display optical performance & cleaning technique evaluations
 Material/Component Tests
– Component environmental qualification tests
ALTAIR:  SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20
TASK
Altair Project Life Cycle 
Phase
Altair Project Life Cycle 
Gates & Major Events
Lunar Capability 
Milestones
Altair Launches
Altair Project Reviews
Altair DACs & RACs
Altair DME Design, 
Fabrication, AIT
Spacecraft Subsystem 
Design
Prototype H/W & S/W
Engineering Model
Qualification Model
Flight H/W & S/W
Altair 1
Altair 2 (HLR)
Facility Mods / Build
Contractor Support
BAA
Altair Conceptual 
Design Contract
Prime Contract 
Pre-Phase A Phase A Phase B Phase C Phase D Phase E
10/21KDP A 6/22KDP B 7/22KDP C 9/15KDP D 2/27KDP E 
6/20LCCR CxSRR 9/30 CxSDR (U/R) CxPDR (U/R) CxCDR (U/R)
12/1
Altair 16/1
Ares V-Y/Prop. Test Vehicle
6/1
Altair 2
6/20MCR 3/31SRR
SDR / PNAR 3/30
1/25IBR
4/27
PDR / NAR
4/26
CDR
1/8
Altair 1 SAR
7/16
Altair 2 SAR
2/14
DCR
3/26
DAC-1
DAC-2
DAC-3
RAC-1
TAC-1
TAC-2
DAC-4
DAC-5
DAC-6
DAC-7
12/31
DAC-8
10/6
3/31
SRR
11/2
SDR
11/15
PDR
4/3
CDR EM
QM
A1
9/16
A2
10/26
10/24
PDRs Complete
10/22
CDRs Complete
11/16
Initiate Long Lead Procurement
Start Vehicle I&T 4/14
Ares V-Y / Prop Test Vehicle Delivered to KSC 8/20
6/1
2/14
Initiate Long Lead Procurement
Start Vehicle I&T 7/11
Vehicle AIT Complete.  Vehicle
Returned to Veh. I&T Facility 11/15
5/10
Initiate Long Lead Procurement
Start Vehicle I&T 10/4
Altair 1 Delivered to KSC 2/21
12/1
8/6
Initiate Long Lead Procurement
Start Vehicle I&T 1/3
Altair 2 Delivered to KSC 8/20
6/1
FCTL
Dust Eval.
Facility
RATF, MVF, & TV Chamber
SAIL OPF & SSPF
RFP 1/28
Award 6/3
Options
ASM Complete 5/4 RFP 4/29
Award 10/26
Regolith simulant needed 
in this timeframe
ALTAIR:  LUNAR SIMULANT NEEDS
 Quantity Needed:   TBD
 Potentially very large quantities (hundreds of kg) for dust plume 
characterizations or full-scale landing gear attenuation tests
 Fidelity Needed: Various
 Physical & mechanical properties are important for landing gear 
or mechanism performance tests
 Shape, Hardness, Grain size, Density, Shear Strength, Compressive 
strength
 Physical & chemical properties are important for life support and  
thermal performance tests
 Grain size, permeability, reactivity, composition
 Date Needed:   
 Development testing >2012
 Regolith quantity/fidelity needs will be better defined by early 2010
 Qualification testing >2015   
 Special Considerations:
 May need to deliver to Prime contractor and/or sub-vendors for 
component qualification



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