MICU

Mineral Investigation Camera using Ultra-Violet

Our Way to the Moon

In 2018, KSat conquered the ISS with PAPELL, in 2019 the atmosphere with BUBBLE and with SOURCE we will conquer the orbit. But that’s not enough. With our latest project MICU, we are setting our sights on the next bigger goal, the moon. MICU (Mineral Investigation Camera using Ultra-Violet) is an experimental module (payload) with which we want to achieve this. In April 2020, NASA published the so-called “Honey, I shrunk the Payload” challenge for a payload on a small lunar rover that is to operate in an as yet undetermined region of the moon. This is being carried out as part of the Artemis mission, in preparation for the manned lunar missions from 2024. The focus of the competition is on the discovery and identification of lunar resources. MICU is intended to use ultraviolet (UV) radiation from LEDs to make lunar rocks fluoresce, which we then detect with a camera. The on-board image processor analyzes the images for possible fluorescence. The promising images are released for downstream to Earth for advanced mineral classification. The challenge is divided into two phases. In Phase 1, we were able to prevail against more than a hundred other ideas and received second place and $15,000 to further develop the idea. In recent weeks, despite the adverse conditions caused by Covid-19, we have worked ambitiously on our project in order to apply for Phase 2 with our work at the beginning of January. Now we have to wait and see whether we will soon be able to explore the moon on a miniature lunar rover with MICU. In parallel, the whole team continues to work on MICU. There are currently 24 members who are divided into four teams. The Science team deals with the fluorescence of minerals; Electronics and Mechanics design the hardware-specific and structural components based on the requirements of Science. Software develops the operating system and a mineral map; a database of fluorescent minerals, so to speak. We can create the database with the support of the Stuttgart Natural History Museum. This will enable us to compare the images of the moon with those in our database.

MICU at a Glance

The Experiment

MICU will use UV LEDs to stimulate the minerals on the moon to fluoresce and then use an additional camera to detect this. Our UV spectrum ranges from the higher-wave UV-C range from around 250 nm through the UV-B range to the limit of the range visible to humans with UV-A. In order to be able to make a statement about which minerals are present on the moon, the images are compared with a mineral map.

The Technology

Fluorescence is the immediate effect of photon emission after illumination in the UV spectrum. The incident UV light stimulates electrons in the ground state to jump to a higher energy state. After this process, the electron falls back to its ground state and emits a light particle (photon). The wavelength of this photon is higher and therefore has lower energy than the wavelength of the excitation light. We use this process to detect the fluorescence of the minerals. The first image processing takes place in an FPGA on our lunar module. If fluorescence is detected, the FPGA sends it downstream for further processing on Earth. The received data is compared with the images in a previously created mineral map.

Honey, I shrunk the NASA Payload

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California held a public competition to develop miniaturized payloads for future lunar missions. The “Honey, I Shrunk the NASA Payload” challenge seeks instrument designs that can support a sustainable human presence on the Moon, demonstrate the use of resources found there, and enable new science. Future exploration of the Moon and beyond will require tools of all shapes and sizes—from large orbiting probes to tiny rovers. In addition to the scientific rovers currently planned, NASA may one day send even smaller rovers to better explore the lunar surface. These small robots would provide mission flexibility and gather important information about the lunar surface, its resources, and the environment. The data collected by these rovers would be valuable for future lunar projects and NASA’s Artemis program.

Curious?

Would you like to know more about the competition
“Honey, I shrunk the NASA Payload”?

More Information

More about this Topic

Fluorescence

If you shine ultraviolet light on minerals, you can see that some mineral samples glow more or less strongly in a variety of colors. This phenomenon is called fluorescence.

Fluorescence was first observed in fluorite – a calcium fluoride – (hence the name). Fluorescence begins immediately when it is stimulated by the light source and also ends with it (in contrast, phosphorescence is an afterglow). Daylight fluorescence is a fluorescence that is caused by the UV component in natural light and, for example, makes some fluorites appear different colors under natural or artificial light.

We are looking for you!

Has MICU sparked your interest? We are always looking for new members!

Whether you are just starting your first semester or are already a space expert and no matter what you are studying: We will find an exciting position for everyone in our team. All of our projects are organized into subsystems that are responsible for different areas. If you already know what you want to do, contact us!

Participation in MICU is no longer possible due to the termination of the project, but there are always subsequent projects that you can join fresh.

Contact us!