Review of INFN's "Microreflectors" for Lunar and Planetary Sciences

REVIEW OF INFN’S ‘MICROREFLECTORS’ FOR LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCIENCES. L. Porcelli1, S. Dell’Agnello1, G. Delle Monache1, M. Muccino1,2, R. March1, M. Tibuzzi1, L. Salvatori1, R. Vittori1,3, S. Pirrotta4, E. Zaccagnino4, F. Latino4, R. Mugnuolo5 and M. Maiello1, 1INFN-LNF, Via E. Fermi 54 (già 40), PO Box 13, 00044 Frascati (RM), Italy, corresponding author: [email protected], 2Aerotecno srl, Via dei Savorelli 3, 00165 Rome (RM), Italy, 3Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI), Viale dell’Università 4, 00185 Rome (RM), Italy, 4Agenzia Spaziale Italiana - Headquarters (ASI-HQ), Via del Politecnico snc, 00133 Rome (RM), Italy, 5Agenzia Spaziale Italiana - Centro di Geodesia Spaziale ‘Giuseppe Colombo’ (ASI-CGS), Località Terlecchia, 75100 Matera (MT), Italy. Content: Since 2010, with the INFN’s MoonLIGHT-ILN R&D activity, the SCF_Lab Team (https://www.lnf.infn.it/esperimenti/etrusco/) of INFN-LNF, supported by ASI, has carried out a program of design, manufacturing and testing, in order to build, space qualify and integrate eight ‘microreflector’ arrays of CCRs (Cube Corner Retroreflectors) on eight flagship Lunar and Martian surface probes; namely: 1. INRRI-EDM/2016 on ESA’s ExoMars EDM (Entry descent and landing Demonstration Module) Mars lander [1]. 2. LaRRI on NASA’s InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) Mars lander [2,3]. 3. LaRA on NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover [4]. 4. INRRI on CNSA’s Chang'e-6 Lunar lander [5]. 5. INRRI on CNSA’s Chang'e-7 Lunar lander [5]. 6. LaRA2 on iSpace-3 Japanese commercial Lunar lander [6]. 7. INRRI on IM-3 American commercial Lunar lander. 8. INRRI for ESA’s ExoMars 2nd Mission (standing by). Such ‘microreflector’ arrays are compact, lightweight, passive, maintenance-free arrays of eight CCRs fixed to an aluminum alloy frame using space grade silicon rubber; they enable the host craft to be laser-located from orbiters, through laser ranging and altimetry, lidar atmospheric observations from orbit, laser flashes emitted by orbiters, and lasercomm. One or all the above means of observation can be supported by the ‘microreflector’ array when there is an active, laser-equipped orbiter, especially after the host craft end-of-life. Since the 31st July 2024, such 'microreflector' arrays have got to TRL=9 after INRRI on Chang'e-6 has been observed by LOLA on LRO more than 6 times with an efficiency of about 33%. Acronyms: Some of the aforementioned acronyms are explained in the following: • SCF_Lab = Satellite/lunar/GNSS laser ranging/altimetry and cube/microsat Characterization Facilities Laboratory. • INRRI = INstrument for landing-Roving laser Retroreflector Investigation. • LaRRI = Laser Retro-Reflector for InSight. • LaRA = Laser Retroreflector Array. • TRL = Technology Readiness Level. References: [1] Dell’Agnello S. et al. (2017) Adv. in Space Res., 59, 645-655. DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2016.10.011. [2] Dell’Agnello S. et al. (2017) Space Res. Today, 200, 25‐32. ISSN: 1752-9298. [3] Porcelli L. et al. (2019) Space Sci. Rev., 215, 1. DOI: 10.1007/s11214-018-0569-3. [4] https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/nasas-newmars-rover-is-ready-for-space-lasers/. [5] Wang W. (2025) 56th LPSC, Abstract #1405. [6] https://www.asi.it/2025/01/ispace-europe-e-asifirmano-un-accordo-per-trasportare-un-array-diriflettori-retroottici-laser-lara2-sulla-superficie-dellaluna/. Disclaimer: Concerning the coauthors of the present contribution, they are a subset of the coauthors of the previous references. Selection considered the relevance of the contributor participation to the overall endeavour and, whether or not, they are still linked to INFN’s space R&D activities at the moment of submission of the present abstract.