Chapter 2
Environment Analysis of Lunar Soft
Landing Exploration
2.1 Introduction
The lunar environment considered in the lunar soft-landing mission is generally the
natural environment, of which the lunar probes are exposed to on lunar orbit or on
lunar surface, such as the lunar radiation environment, the thermal environment on
lunar surface, the topography of lunar surface, the lunar soil, the lunar dust, the
gravitational field of the Moon, the nearly vacuum environment of the Moon and
the variation of lighting condition on lunar surface [1]. These features have various
effects on the normal function and safety of the lunar lander, and are also the important
bases and constraints in the design of the lunar lander. In this chapter, engineering
design parameters are extracted from the related references inside and outside of
China and the data obtained in the Chang’E missions of China, which can be used
as reference in the design of future lunar lander.
This chapter focuses on the analysis of the lunar environment itself, while its
detailed effect on the lunar lander will be discussed in later chapters. In addition,
some special designs of the lunar lander may introduce new and unusual environment
effects. For example, the lunar lander is equipped with Radioisotope Heat Unit (RHU)
to deal with thermal control in lunar night of 14 Earth days, while the RHU produces
nuclear radiation environment. Another example is the lunar dust environment and
the thermal environment that are caused by the interaction between the plume of
the rocket engine and lunar surface in the landing process [2–5]. Such secondary
environment is called induced environment. The effects of lunar environment on the
lunar lander, as well as the analysis of induced environment and its effects on the
lunar lander will be discussed in Chapter 3.
© National Defense Industry Press and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D.-Y. Yu et al., Technology of Lunar Soft Lander, Space Technology Library 38,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6580-9_2
21
Environment Analysis of Lunar Soft
Landing Exploration
2.1 Introduction
The lunar environment considered in the lunar soft-landing mission is generally the
natural environment, of which the lunar probes are exposed to on lunar orbit or on
lunar surface, such as the lunar radiation environment, the thermal environment on
lunar surface, the topography of lunar surface, the lunar soil, the lunar dust, the
gravitational field of the Moon, the nearly vacuum environment of the Moon and
the variation of lighting condition on lunar surface [1]. These features have various
effects on the normal function and safety of the lunar lander, and are also the important
bases and constraints in the design of the lunar lander. In this chapter, engineering
design parameters are extracted from the related references inside and outside of
China and the data obtained in the Chang’E missions of China, which can be used
as reference in the design of future lunar lander.
This chapter focuses on the analysis of the lunar environment itself, while its
detailed effect on the lunar lander will be discussed in later chapters. In addition,
some special designs of the lunar lander may introduce new and unusual environment
effects. For example, the lunar lander is equipped with Radioisotope Heat Unit (RHU)
to deal with thermal control in lunar night of 14 Earth days, while the RHU produces
nuclear radiation environment. Another example is the lunar dust environment and
the thermal environment that are caused by the interaction between the plume of
the rocket engine and lunar surface in the landing process [2–5]. Such secondary
environment is called induced environment. The effects of lunar environment on the
lunar lander, as well as the analysis of induced environment and its effects on the
lunar lander will be discussed in Chapter 3.
© National Defense Industry Press and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D.-Y. Yu et al., Technology of Lunar Soft Lander, Space Technology Library 38,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6580-9_2
21