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SMART-1, Europe’s robotic mission to the Moon

Samples of lunar soil, collected by Ameraican and Soviet spacecrafts, mostly represent the near-side equatorial region. The far side of the Moon and polar regions, which have a quite different geological history, were not included.

Two small American spacecraft, Clementine and Lunar Prospector, went into orbit around the Moon in 1994 and 1998, carrying a variety of remote-sensing instruments to explore the whole lunar surface. Lunar Prospector also mapped the Moon’s gravity and discovered magnetic regions. But many unanswered questions still perplex the lunar scientists.

Now it is the turn of Europeans to unravel the secrets of our natural satellite. SMART-1(Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology), Europe’s first mission to the Moon is set to scrutinise the largest crater in the Solar System and looking for a new type of Moon rock. The crater sits over the Moon’s south pole and was excavated billions of years ago by the impact of a giant asteroid or comet.It will also be on the lookout for landing sites so that a future robotic mission can bring samples home. SMART-1’s camera AMIE will enable scientists to study afresh the Moon’s topography and surface texture. It will use X-rays and infrared light to map the composition of the whole Moon.

Launched on 27 September 2003 the spacecraft is using its ion drive over a period of 14 months to elongate its Earth orbit and utilizing three lunar resonance maneuvers in August, September, and October 2004 to minimize propellant use. Its final continuous thrust maneuver took place over 100 hours from 10 to 14 October 2004.

On 15 November 2004, Smart 1 began firing its ion engine to bring it into lunar orbit The probe will spiral ever closer to the surface until reaching its final orbit on 1 February 2005. When Smart 1 reaches a stable elliptical orbit it will range between 3,000km and 300km from the Moon’s surface.

SMART-1, conceived as a technology demonstrator for future spacecraft, is an all-new, miniaturised and lightweight spacecraft. It only needs an engine with a thrust equivalent to blowing on your hand, to waft it to the Moon and, at two kilograms, its infrared spectrometer is 10 times lighter than any previous instrument.

The mission will cost 110 million Euros.

posted by: kyawoo at 11:21 | link | comments |
unmanned missions, moon

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