EMission Imager for Lunar Infrared Analysis in 3 Dimensions (EMILIA-3D) was one of three instruments selected for an upcoming Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) mission under the NASA solicitation for Payloads for Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon–Stand-Alone Site-Agnostic (PRISM-SALSA).

Overview

EMILIA-3D integrates a thermal camera and a stereo pair of visible cameras on a single-axis tilt gimbal to deliver co-registered thermal and topographic data from the lunar surface. EMILIA-3D will provide unprecedented insight into near-surface regolith properties and the complex interplay between small-scale topography, illumination conditions, and near-surface temperatures.

Operations will be for the duration of one lunar day (daytime only, no survive-the-night capability) or about 2 weeks.

Instrument Payload Summary

The integrated sensor package, consisting of a thermal-IR camera and two optical stereo cameras, will be built by Northern Arizona University (NAU) and delivered to the UA for integration with a one-axis tilt gimbal provided by Rocket Lab Robotics. The UA will build the ISP and gimbal interface and instrument mounting plate and will lead integration and environmental testing, geometric calibration, and operations.

Science Objectives
1. Characterize regolith physical and thermal properties.
2. Quantify the effects of surface roughness on brightness temperature and the lunar emission phase function (EPF).
3. Constrain polar-like thermal conditions in the shadows and at grazing solar angles. 4. Evaluate the impacts of exploration on lunar surface temperatures and regolith properties.