Instrumentation study evaluates the miniature Neutron HardPix detector for lunar rover deployment, demonstrating non-invasive hydrogen and water deposit mapping via subsurface neutron spectrometry.
A current interest in lunar exploration led by Artemis program pushes scientists to search for lunar water deposits directly on the surface of the Moon with small robotic rovers. The Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague (IEAP CTU) is developing a miniature Timepix3-based detector Neutron HardPix capable of mapping the water deposits using non-invasive detection of neutrons created underground by cosmic rays and thermalized by hydrogen. This neutron spectrometer measures count rate variations of thermal, epithermal and fast neutrons attributed to the hydrogen abundance in lunar subsurface, while monitoring cosmic radiation as a natural source of neutrons. Neutron HardPix is based on the miniature (< 0.1 U, 130 g) radiation monitor HardPix with multiple space heritage.
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Filgas et al. (2026) studied this question.
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