Proposal

An interesting rock collection assistant can consist of a lunar surface analysis system (for example, a camera plus processing capacity) which obtains a set of images (in addition to complementary data, such as topography and spectral profile), which would be processed to obtain a surface model which would be contrasted against the rocks that are observed on the surface.

So those rocks that do not follow the model that describes the surrounding terrain would be those that provide more information and more interesting would be for science.

A simplified first system would obtain an image of the lunar surface (suppose the terrain is made up of basaltic columns -Ignea dark rock of magnesium and iron-), generating a generic "basaltic" model of the soil. Then you pass the surface but now each stone would be analyzed separately and contrasted against the initial model.

Now, if one of the stones turns out to be classified as granite - a product of granular-looking magmatics - it would be a fact unexpected that would provide much information if this rock could be analyzed in depth later.

If we take the model further, we can consider that the system can consist of a camera-screen that collects information from the environment.

Motivation

For an astronaut (and for a robot) it is very difficult to decide during a tour of the moon which can be a Good choice of material to collect.

When Harrison Schmitt collected samples of orange soil (during Apollo 17) he did so because of the differences with his context.

The rock of the genesis, obtained during Apollo 15, proved to be an invaluable example of solar system formation since it would have 4.1 billion years. Which were the milestones of the lunar samples obtained by the Apollo missions.

With better aid for sample collection, the quality of the specimens obtained could be increased and better produced. scientific results.