Astronomy from the Moon

Nicotera, Lorena (2023) Astronomy from the Moon. SBP Work Placement, Astronomy.

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Abstract

The Moon is a unique site for a variety of astronomical observations enabled by the rare characteristics of individual sites. For example, the farside of the Moon is shielded from radio interference by radio sources on Earth and in Earth’s orbits. Being a radio quiet environment, it represents the perfect location to perform low frequency radio observations that could lead to the detection of the very faint atomic hydrogen signal belonging to the “Dark Ages”, before stars and galaxies formed. This is of extraordinary importance for cosmology and fundamental physics research. However, science experiments require extremely sensitive instrumentation so that electronic\noise leakage from other sources could severely limit the scientific value of the farside. Meanwhile, the presence of water and minerals on the Moon has attracted commercial attention and enlarged the number of players interested in outer space raw materials. Space agencies and private companies are currently refining their plans for a long term return to the Moon over the next decades. The lunar sites with extraordinary scientific value often overlap with those that have the most concentrated valuable resources. Their extraction requires intense mining activities with harmful impact on the neighboring environment. Astrophysical observations from the Moon and extraction-oriented operations have great potential to conflict with one another. This is where the International Astronomical Union (IAU) comes into play, demonstrating that good astronomical sites are rare, no matter where they are located, so the rare ones on the Moon should be protected by a dedicated international policy. The purpose of this project is to analyze the current outer space legal and policy framework to clarify the modalities allowed for modern operations on the Moon. A particular focus is on the opportunities and threats carried by the US-led Artemis Programs. On the one hand, their international partnerships with technologically advanced private companies can facilitate the delivery of scientific experiments on the Moon. But on the other hand, they have introduced a controversial way to interpret the principles written in the Outer Space Treaty, the international outer space constitution. The main finding of this analysis is that the international outer space law does not include any provision that explicitly protects lunar locations for their scientific potential; therefore, astronomers should urgently act to defend their objectives on the Moon. I advise the IAU to take a leading position in raising a decisive awareness for the needed preservation of high valuable lunar sites for science. For example by considering the possibility of creating an ad hoc working group for lunar matters. The IAU should be the place for collecting consensus among the astronomical community on the list of lunar sites with priority for protection in the near and long term. Moreover, the IAU should create agreement on the technical requirements for all operational instruments, as an aggregate, not to interfere with the target signal of the sensitive experiments. It would be appropriate for the IAU to set up an interface with commercial industry and space agencies and talk to them on behalf of science to make sure their plans are aware of the scientific issues. Then, the IAU should align with other professional scientific societies to approach the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) to get consideration of the protection of astronomy from the Moon by the Committee.

Item Type:	Thesis (SBP Work Placement)
Supervisor name:	Noel-Storr, J. and Westerhof, M.D.D.
Degree programme:	Astronomy
Thesis type:	SBP Work Placement
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	05 Jul 2023 07:40
Last Modified:	14 Dec 2023 12:59
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/30221

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