PROGReX: A Compact X-ray/Gamma-ray Spectrometer for Prospecting of Resources on Planetary Surfaces

PROGReX: A COMPACT X-RAY/GAMMA-RAY SPECTROMETER FOR PROSPECTING OF RESOURCES ON PLANETARY SURFACES. F. Fiore1, A. Černok1,2, R. Campana3, Y. Evangelista4, F. Dogo1,2, M. Citossi1, G. Baroni1,2, S. Trevisan1,2, C. Feruglio1, G. Pepponi5, G. Bertuccio6, F. Mele6, P. Malcovati7, M. Grassi7. 1INAF – OATs, Trieste, Italy ([email protected]), 2University of Trieste, Italy ([email protected]). 3INAF – OAS, Bologna, Italy, 4INAF – IAPS, Roma, Italy, 5Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy, 6Politecnico di Milano, Italy, 7Università di Pavia, Italy. Summary: X-ray and gamma/ray spectroscopy can be used to assess the composition of planetary surfaces, which is a key ingredient for both studying the body origin and evolution and prospecting for its resources. PROGReX (Prospecting the Moon with Gamma & X-rays) is an X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometer derived from the instrument developed for the SpIRIT and HERMES Pathfinder projects. The unit on board SpIRIT, a 6U CubeSat managed by University of Melbourne, is working on Low Earth Orbit since January 2024 and thus reached TRL9. PROGReX covers in a single instrument the very broad band from about 1 keV to about 3 MeV. This allows both gamma-ray spectroscopy of nuclear lines such as K, Th, U with a moderate resolution of 6% @600keV, and X-ray spectroscopy of atomic lines from with a resolution of 150-200 eV. The X-ray band covers fluorescence emission of elements from Si to Ti, Fe, Ni, REEs and the PGEs. Therefore, the same spectrometer could be exploited for remote and in-situ observations. For in-situ application on board a rover it will be equipped with an X-ray source, allowing sensitive XRF. The PROGReX main goal is to bridge the gap of the Moon surface composition of metals and REEs between the several tens km scale allowed by the best remote sensing observations (e.g. Kaguya), and sample return sites (e.g. Apollo, Chang’e). Description of activities: PROGReX is designed as a three-year project. It is divided into two main stages, aiming to reach following milestones: 1) End of first year, breadboards to demonstrate main technologies: TRL 5 2) End of third year: Demonstration Models, to demonstrate full functionality in proper environment, considering interfaces with Rover (thermal, electric, electronics, informatics) TRL7-9 Each demonstration model (DM) should be representative of main functionalities of the instrument and conceived to be able to function on a rover, e.g. it should be complaint with interfaces. • Survive one lunar day • Rover: NDA signed with iSpace and Lunar Outpost, discussions already on going with them on interfaces and accommodation • MVP: Functional and environmental tests on ground (mechanical, TVAC). Goal: functional test on proper lunar environment by the end of third year. Added values: (1) bring TRL to 9; (2) test of planned operations; (3) test of observations of real lunar materials. PROGReX team includes following institutions: The National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), University of Trieste, University of Pavia, The Politecnico of Milano, and the Bruno Kessler Foundation. Funding: PROGReX is a strategic project within the initiative "Il PROgramma di RIcerca Spaziale di base (PRORIS) funded by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR), the management of which has been assigned to CNR and INAF as part of the collaboration between the two institutions on research programmes, technological developments and training. Figure 1: Heritage from SpIRIT and HERMES Pathfinder projects, photo detector, SDD scintillator crystal GAGG covering from a few keV to a few MeV ≥ 50 cm 2 collimated area.