Basic radio interferometry for future lunar missions

Abstract

\u3cp\u3eIn light of presently considered lunar missions, we investigate the feasibility of the basic radio interferometry (RIF) for lunar missions. We discuss the deployment of two-element radio interferometer on the Moon surface. With the first antenna element is envisaged to be placed on the lunar lander, the second antenna element is either ejected from the lander onto the lunar surface or is placed on a rover. Such an experiment will examine the radio communication on the Moon surface and will test the basic RIF requirements such as phase stability in the lunar environment. This is a necessary step for development of future large arrays on the Moon. In addition, this first ever in-situ lunar RIF would provide a unique degree-resolution of a radio sky map at lower frequencies, which are not accessible from the Earth. The expected results such as the spectral flux density and the spatial resolution of the radio sky map will be presented for lunar lander-rover experiment. As an extended scenario, the RIF using the multiple antennas onboard the lunar/(Earth's) orbiter satellites are introduced.\u3c/p\u3