ESA SMART-1 Mission to the Moon
Abstract
SMART-1 is the first of ESA’s Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology. Its objective is to demonstrate Primary Solar Electric Propulsion for future Cornerstones (such as Bepi-Colombo) and to test new technologies for spacecraft and instruments. The 370 kg spacecraft is to be launched in summer 2003 as Ariane-5 auxiliary passenger and after a 15 month cruise is to orbit the Moon for 6 months with possible extension. SMART-1 will carry out observations during the cruise and in lunar orbit with a science and technology payload (19 kg total mass): a miniaturised high-resolution camera (AMIE) a near-infrared point-spectrometer (SIR) for lunar mineralogy a very compact X-ray spectrometer (D-CIXS) mapping surface elemental composition a Deep Space Communication experiment (KaTE) a radio-science investigations (RSIS) a Laser-Link Experiment an On Board Autonomous Navigation experiment (OBAN) and plasma sensors (SPEDE). SMART-1 will study accretional and bombardment processes that led to the formation of rocky planets and the origin and evolution of the Earth-Moon system. Its science investigations include studies of the chemical composition of the Moon of geophysical processes (volcanism tectonics cratering erosion deposition of ices and volatiles) for comparative planetology and the preparation for future lunar and planetary exploration.
- Publication:
-
IAU Special Session
- Pub Date:
- 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003IAUSS...1E..35F