Lunar Robotic Relay The First Phase of Building the Lunar Ground Network

As part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission, the lunar exploration team has identified the Moon´s south pole as a target for a robotics mission due the possibility of existence of water in the craters. The role of lunar relay satellites is to provide coverage for areas that do not have a direct view of the Earth. The lunar relay satellites and the Earth ground network supporting them are key for the many robotic and manned missions. In this type of mission, though similar to the Mars relay system, the design of the ground network in support of the lunar relay system requires attention to ground network infrastructure, spectrum, and tracking requirements. This paper will address the evolution of exploration ground stations and ground options to support the early lunar relay satellite (LRS-1) for robotics mission and its relation to manned relay (LRS-2 and LRS-3).