LunaCat
FindingWaterin the Lunar Desert
US-UAE Student Collaboration Project
Student-built spacecraft that will be launched by NASA to the Moon Orbit
Spacecraft will map the Moon and look for the presence of water
Project Duration: 5+ Years
US - Emirati Student Space Collaboration and Partnership
for the University of Arizona Space Institute’s upcoming LunaCat project
Student Engagement:
LunaCat is a student-built spacecraft, 12U CubeSat that will be launched by NASA to the Moon Orbit. The Spacecraft will orbit the moon, map it, and look for the presence of water.
US and Emirati students will work together under Dr Chris Walker of the University of Arizona's Space Institute (UAE counterpart TBD) to build the spacecraft and all of its components including hardware and software.
US students will travel to the UAE and UAE students will travel to the US twice a year for hands-on Collaboration.
Translunar Trajectory gets us to within 900 miles of Lunar South Pole
(Lunar Flashlight/ CAPSTONE Missions)
University of Arizona Lead Team
Dr. Christopher Walker
LunaCat Lead and Faculty Advisor
Dr Walker formulated LunaCat mission concept, invented key elements of the antenna technology, and will mentor the student teams executing the project. He will bring his accumulated knowledge and leadership experience to bear on realizing the game changing potential of LunaCat. Dr. Walker considers this work as an important part of his academic appointment.
Dr. Walker has served as the PhD advisor to 18 students across multiple fields, and is currently advisor to 4 graduate students.
Dr. Walker has a BS (Clemson University) and MS (Ohio State University) in Electrical & Computer Engineering and a PhD in Astronomy (University of Arizona). He was then a Millikan Fellow in Physics at Caltech, and subsequently a faculty member in multiple departments at the University of Arizona. In his 40 years of experience in terahertz science and technology Prof. Walker has led teams that built the first terahertz receivers for Antarctica (AST/RO), the world’s largest terahertz array receiver (SuperCam), the first balloon-borne terahertz observatories (STO and GUSTO), and the first terahertz chirp radar system for remote imaging and spectroscopic detection. He has led over a dozen campaigns to Antarctica to perform observations with instruments developed.
For the past ~8 years Dr. Walker has been PI for the NASA GUSTO Mission, which completed its Antarctic flight earlier this year and will formally end in January, 2025. He is the PI for two NASA proposals currently under consideration.
Dr Walker has authored/co-authored 130+ papers in literature and 2 textbooks.
Dr. Casey Honniball
Assistant Research Scientist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
University of Arizona Undergrad
(2011-15)
Motivation: NASA Discovers Water on Moon
A team led by Dr. Casey Honniball, Undergraduate Student of Dr. Chris Walker (The University of Arizona 2012-14) detected molecular water on the lunar surface, trapped within natural glasses or between debris grains.
Using NASA’s telescope on an airplane, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), water was discovered on a sunlit surface of the Moon for the first time. SOFIA is a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft that allows astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not possible with ground-based telescopes. Molecular water, H2O, was found in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth in the Moon’s southern hemisphere.
“Our research shows that a multitude of previously unknown regions of the moon could harbor water ice,” Hayne said. “Our results suggest that water could be much more widespread in the moon’s polar regions than previously thought, making it easier to access, extract and analyze.”
SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center.
US - Emirati Student Space Collaboration and Partnership
10 American Students
10 Emirati Students
Emirati Youth Capability Development: US and Emirati students work together under Dr Chris Walker (UAE counterpart TBD) to build the spacecraft and all of its components including hardware and software. Emirati students will travel to the US and American students will travel to the UAE twice a year for hands-on Collaboration.
This is a 5+ year project, that will have an Emirati Project Lead (faculty) and 10 new Emirati students rotating every year (50 Emirati students total). The work will begin in 2025-26 Academic Year with launch date in 2027, and a mission duration of 2+ years.
Who:
Emiratis aged 18-24
Duration:
5+ years
When:
Spacecraft Assembly (2025-26 Academic Year)
Spacecraft Launch (2027)
Mission Duration (2+ years)
Included:
Program, Spacecraft Components, Airfare, Travel, Accommodation, Meals, and more. UAE students will travel to US and US students will travel to UAE twice a year for hands-on Collaboration.
Partners:
LunaCat
Finding Water in the
Lunar Desert
US-UAE Student Collaboration Project
Student-built spacecraft that will be launched by NASA to the Moon Orbit
Spacecraft will map the Moon and look for the presence of water
Project Duration: 5+ Years
US - Emirati Student Space Collaboration and Partnership
for the University of Arizona Space Institute’s upcoming LunaCat project
Student Engagement:
LunaCat is a student-built spacecraft, 12U CubeSat that will be launched by NASA to the Moon Orbit. The Spacecraft will orbit the moon, map it, and look for the presence of water.
US and Emirati students will work together under Dr Chris Walker of the University of Arizona's Space Institute (UAE counterpart TBD) to build the spacecraft and all of its components including hardware and software.
US students will travel to the UAE and UAE students will travel to the US twice a year for hands-on Collaboration.
Translunar Trajectory gets us to within 900 miles of Lunar South Pole
(Lunar Flashlight/ CAPSTONE Missions)
University of Arizona Lead Team
Dr. Christopher Walker
LunaCat Lead and Faculty Advisor
Dr Walker formulated LunaCat mission concept, invented key elements of the antenna technology, and will mentor the student teams executing the project. He will bring his accumulated knowledge and leadership experience to bear on realizing the game changing potential of LunaCat. Dr. Walker considers this work as an important part of his academic appointment.
Dr. Walker has served as the PhD advisor to 18 students across multiple fields, and is currently advisor to 4 graduate students.
Dr. Walker has a BS (Clemson University) and MS (Ohio State University) in Electrical & Computer Engineering and a PhD in Astronomy (University of Arizona). He was then a Millikan Fellow in Physics at Caltech, and subsequently a faculty member in multiple departments at the University of Arizona. In his 40 years of experience in terahertz science and technology Prof. Walker has led teams that built the first terahertz receivers for Antarctica (AST/RO), the world’s largest terahertz array receiver (SuperCam), the first balloon-borne terahertz observatories (STO and GUSTO), and the first terahertz chirp radar system for remote imaging and spectroscopic detection. He has led over a dozen campaigns to Antarctica to perform observations with instruments developed.
For the past ~8 years Dr. Walker has been PI for the NASA GUSTO Mission, which completed its Antarctic flight earlier this year and will formally end in January, 2025. He is the PI for two NASA proposals currently under consideration.
Dr Walker has authored/co-authored 130+ papers in literature and 2 textbooks.
Motivation: NASA Discovers Water on Moon
A team led by Dr. Casey Honniball, Undergraduate Student of Dr. Chris Walker (The University of Arizona 2012-14) detected molecular water on the lunar surface, trapped within natural glasses or between debris grains.
Using NASA’s telescope on an airplane, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), water was discovered on a sunlit surface of the Moon for the first time. SOFIA is a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft that allows astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not possible with ground-based telescopes. Molecular water, H2O, was found in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth in the Moon’s southern hemisphere.
“Our research shows that a multitude of previously unknown regions of the moon could harbor water ice,” Hayne said. “Our results suggest that water could be much more widespread in the moon’s polar regions than previously thought, making it easier to access, extract and analyze.”
SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center.
Dr. Casey Honniball
Assistant Research Scientist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
University of Arizona Undergrad (2011-15)
US - Emirati Student Space Collaboration and Partnership
10 American Students
10 Emirati Students
Emirati YouthCapability Development:
US and Emirati students work together under Dr Chris Walker (UAE counterpart TBD) to build the spacecraft and all of its components including hardware and software. Emirati students will travel to the US and American students will travel to the UAE twice a year for hands-on Collaboration.
This is a 5+ year project, that will have an Emirati Project Lead (faculty) and 10 new Emirati students rotating every year (50 Emirati students total). The work will begin in 2025-26 Academic Year with launch date in 2027, and a mission duration of 2+ years.
Who:
Emiratis aged 18-24
Duration:
5+ years
When:
Spacecraft Assembly (2025-26)
Spacecraft Launch (2027)
Mission Duration (2+ years)
Included:
Program, Spacecraft Components, Airfare, Travel, Accommodation, Meals, and more. UAE students will travel to US and US students will travel to UAE twice a year for hands-on Collaboration.
Partners: