Investigation of Wireless Sensor Deployment Schemes for In-Situ Measurement of Water Ice near Lunar South Pole

Abstract

It has been known for many years that the Moon has no atmosphere and hence no stable surface water. Cold traps on the Moon near lunar South Pole are understood to have water ice present in them due to striking of comets and meteorites with the Moon. Observations from very recent lunar missions indicate presence of water on the Moon. However, all such methods are based on remote techniques and no in-situ measurements have been done so far. In order to carry out in situ measurement of water ice and also to study properties of Regolith near lunar South Pole, it is planned to deploy wireless sensor network on lunar surface. Deployment of sensors on a planet or outer body like the Moon is really a challenging task and needs theoretical understanding before implementing through any space mission, as it involves huge amount of investment. In this article, we have attempted to understand theoretical aspects involved in deployment of sensors on the Moon. Minimum number of sensors needed in each topology to cover a given sensing region has been found assuring wireless connectivity. Derived equations governing trajectory of deployment topologies have been executed using code in MATLAB and deployment costs for all three schemes are compared.

Keywords

• Wireless sensor network
• Deployment strategy
• Coverage
• Wireless connectivity