Overview of the European Student Moon
- Paper number
IAC-06-E1.P.1.04
- Author
Mr. Trond Krøvel, International Space University (ISU), France
- Coauthor
Mr. Kristian Jerpetjøn, Norway
- Coauthor
Mr. Steve Ulrich, Universite de Sherbrooke, Canada
- Year
2006
- Abstract
The Student Space Exploration and Technology Initiative (SSETI) was started by ESA in 2000, to give students from all over Europe a possibility to get important hands-on experience by letting them participate in real satellite projects. The goal of SSETI is to land a rover on the surface of the Moon. This done in a divided approach, where four projects, each building on the experiences from the previous projects, will make the students capable of reaching the lofty goal. SSETI has already launched SSETI Express, the first SSETI satellite, and the second project, European Student Earth Orbiter (ESEO), will undergo a preliminary design review in the near future.
The European Student Moon Orbiter (ESMO) is the third project of SSETI. It will, like its predecessors, be a micro-spacecraft, built by students. The first ESMO teams started their work just one year ago. But already now, more than 65 students from 8 different European universities are working in different sub-system groups, to prepare feasibility studies for each of the sub-systems. It is expected that the ESMO project will finish Phase A, based on the feasibility studies, within the end of 2006.
Since ESMO only is in its early stages, the payload is not determined. But several proposals have been made, and it is expected that ESMO will carry one or more of the following payloads:
• Optical imaging system A variety of options for optical imaging exist, but the purpose will be to map the surface of the moon, to find possible landing sites for other missions and/or determine the composition of the moon surface materials by examining spectral properties and/or polarization properties. While a standard camera system normally only will be able to create 2D-images of the surface, special imaging instruments such as laser altimeters will give a 3D-mapping of the surface. This can also be achieved by using stereo photography techniques.
• Microwave imaging system A small form factor synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been proposed. It will give a 3D-map of the surface of the moon, with a completely different accuracy compared to optical systems.
• Gravity measurements A gravity sensor can be used to measure anomalies in the Moon gravity field.
• Particle measurements When ESMO is on its way to the moon, it is possible to make it pass through the Moon-Earth Lagrange points. It will then be interesting to measure particle density etc. with a Langmuir probe or similar equipment.
• Communication It is possible to let ESMO function as a relay station for other moon missions. There are several missions planned for the next years, and any of them could take advantage of the extra transmission capacity that ESMO would be able to provide.
• Ejectable payload SSETI Express was the first sudent spacecraft to launch several other spacecraft from its own body. The same approach can be used on ESMO, where a small “child spacecraft” can act as a sensor extension. This will enable ESMO to return better measurement data. It can for example carry an additional gravity sensor, to get a more accurate mapping of gravitational anomalies on the moon. Or the child spacecraft can be put in a much lower orbit than ESMO, and use a small form factor camera to take high resolution images of the moon surface, where this is interesting. In connection with this the Apollo landing sites has been mentioned.
ESMO will not be launched on a dedicated launcher. It will most likely be a secondary payload on an Ariane 5 or Vega launcher, going to a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). From the GTO, ESMO will transfer itself to a lunar orbit. ESMO will reach the desired lunar orbit by using resistojet propulsion. This type of technology is ideal for spacecrafts with low mass, sufficient power supply and enough time. Using the low stability areas and by turning the thrust on and off, even less fuel can be used as proven in the SMART-1 mission by ESA. If it turns out that a resistojet propulsion system is too complicated for ESMO, a standard chemical propulsion system will be used.
A lot of new technology can/will be tested on ESMO. But what maybe is the most amazing aspect of the project, is the distributed structure of the different sub-system teams building ESMO and the other SSETI projects. Never before has a group of students, spread so wide geographically, been able to undertake such a complicated project. This novel approach to satellite design and construction has not been tried out in full scale before, and it will be exiting to see what the future brings to SSETI.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-E1.P.1.04.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.