From laboratory to launch: Infrared instrument development and informing ISRU strategies on the Moon

Abstract

This dissertation presents a comprehensive approach to developing infrared instruments, from fundamental calibration to space-based implementation, complemented by lunar methane sequestration modeling to inform ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization) strategies for future missions. The second chapter establishes methods for infrared camera calibration, examining key performance characteristics and predictive frameworks that will help us characterize the behavior of these types of instrument systems. Utilizing these calibration techniques, the third chapter details the development of the Hyperspectral Thermal Imager (HyTI), an Earth observation instrument developed at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa through collaboration between the Hawai'i Spaceflight Laboratory (HSFL), the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP), and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The optical design process and my performance model, driven by mission requirements, enabled the instrument to achieve 20 spectral bands between 8 and 10.7 μm with a 60-meter ground resolution. The calibration methods from my second chapter provided key detector metrics, including bias, gain, read noise, and dark current for this instrument. Validation of my performance model's accuracy during development establishes a framework for future HyTI-like instruments that can be adapted for other scientific applications. The fourth chapter focuses on the end product and motivation of instrument design and calibration: science; specifically, modeling adsorbed methane sequestration in permanently shadowed regions on the Moon. This chapter finds that up to 70 μg/g of methane can be sequestered in the upper meter of regolith over geological timescales, providing critical insights for ISRU strategies and supporting missions such as Artemis III and VIPER.