Lunar science measurement approaches and operational techniques that can be achieved with nanorovers

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The methods by which we explore space are changing rapidly, as are the entities. Once purely the realm ofgovernment space agencies, private industry is poised to play an ever increasing role in the exploration ofspace. A key reason for this is advances in miniaturization that have allowed increasingly capable missionswith smaller spacecraft. This has opened up exciting new possibilities for the development of so-callednanomissions, which represent affordable opportunities for participation in the global endeavor for emergingspace nations, commercial enterprise and even mature space nations with constrained budgets. A majorchallenge for nanorovers, i.e., platforms a few 10s kg, is the reduce payload space for scientific instruments.Indeed, the total payload could be 2 kg or less, which compares to the 80 kg of payload for science instrumentson NASA's Curiosity rover, currently exploring Mars. This NSERC Engage grant aims to take the first steps incharacterizing different measurement approaches and operational techniques that can be achieved with a smallnanorover platform.