Terrain Mapping and Pose Estimation for Polar Shadowed Regions of the Moon

Lunar ice, likely to be found in the highest abundance near the poles, could be a source of water for drinking, oxygen for breathing, and for producing propellants for venturing beyond the moon to deep space. Viability depends on specifics of the accessibility, depth, and concentration of the ice, which can only be determined by surface missions of repeated robotic explorations over time. Remote sensing indicates that ice concentrates in low, shadowed depressions that may or may not be close to safe landing sites [1]. Navigating through polar shadows and darkness necessitates capability for sensing in the dark. This paper profiles the perception system of MoonRanger, a micro-rover manifested on a 2022 NASA CLPS flight [2], which will be the first polar mission to perform in situ measurement of lunar ice. Figure 1: Artist rendering of MoonRanger