The inner solar system chronology (ISOCHRON) lunar sample return mission concept: Revealing two billion years of history

Abstract

We present the Inner SOlar System CHRONology (ISOCHRON) concept to return samples of the youngest extensive mare basalt for age-dating and geochemical analysis. The young basalt is exposed at a site southwest of Aristarchus Plateau, for which complete remote-sensing data are available for thorough landing site analysis. Data from these samples would revolutionize the ability to assign exposure ages to rocky planetary surfaces based on the samples returned by Apollo and Luna. Their petrology and geochemistry will enable assessment of the most recent voluminous lunar magmatism. Regolith evolution and mixing models such as ballistic sedimentation would be directly testable to provide crucial ground truth that would enhance the science value of current and future remotely sensed data sets. ISOCHRON’s science goals support NASA’s Artemis program to return to the Moon and its related robotic programs currently in planning.