On the Moon surface: from functional analysis to the lunar dust case

This thesis focuses on the development of a lunar surface module commissioned to Thales Alenia Space by ASI and aims to explore the initial phases of mission design, with the objective of demonstrating its inherently iterative and recursive nature. The process begins with the definition of the mission statement and the stakeholder analysis, in order to identify and consolidate the main requirements of the module. Following this, a high-level functional analysis was carried out in order to compare and validate the academic design methodologies against those currently used within the company. The academic methodology starts from the functional tree based on the mission statement, then follows with a functional/device matrix, from which the product tree is derived; the connections are then able to be studied through a connection matrix and a block diagram. The analysis showed a strong alignment between the two approaches, specifically thanks to the comparison between the two functional trees and product trees. The outcome confirmed the validity and applicability of academic methods even in industrial contexts. After outlining the general configuration of the module and its preliminary developments, the study focused on one of the most critical elements: lunar dust contamination and countermeasures. This aspect of the module was selected due to its high relevance and complexity within the overall architecture. A new trade-off analysis between various potential countermeasures was conducted, updating and revisiting an earlier internal assessment previously conducted by the company. The comparison between the two studies highlighted the need for a flexible and iterative design methodology, due to needs and information always changing and evolving. To conclude the study, the potential risks associated with the selected solution were examined, in order to assess its impact on the other subsystems. This final step further reinforced the importance of incorporating system-level considerations from the very beginning of the design process, particularly in the context of innovative space missions.