Optimizing Lunar Exploration: A Multidimensional Approach to Landing Site Selection

The resurgence of lunar exploration has brought new countries and private companies to the forefront, each aiming to explore previously uncharted regions of the Moon. This letter presents a comprehensive, multiparameter approach that employs diverse remote sensing datasets to identify optimal landing locations, considering the constraints of the lander and mission objectives. We consider landing windows that account for delta-v limits and approach lighting, mapping out the dynamic lighting environment for solar-powered landers, and locating areas within line-of-sight of Earth for direct communication. We further refine the landing areas by applying additional constraints (slope analysis, hazard maps, thermal modeling, resource proximity, etc.). Our approach identifies a series of polar landing sites suitable for a ten-day-long mission. Besides offering a safe landing area, the site lies within a kilometer of a permanently shadowed region (PSR), accessible to a mobile element (rover, hopper, etc.). This method enhances the safety and feasibility of lunar landings and promotes sustainable long-term human and robotic presence by identifying sites favorable for scientific exploration and resource utilization.