The European Student Moon Orbiter (ESMO) Project: Attracting and Training A New Generation of Lunar Explorers

Paper number

IAC-07-A3.6.A.07

Author

Dr. Roger Walker, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands

Year

2007

Abstract

The European Student Moon Orbiter (ESMO) project is the third mission in the Student Space Exploration and Technology Initiative (SSETI) programme. The primary objectives of the ESMO mission are (1) to launch the first lunar spacecraft to be designed, built and operated by students across ESA Member States for valuable hands-on education experience; (2) transfer the spacecraft to the Moon; (3) achieve a lunar orbit; (4) take pictures of the lunar surface for education outreach purposes; (5) perform niche lunar science, preferably relevant to future lunar exploration.

ESMO was approved in March 2006 by the ESA Education Department for a Phase A Feasibility Study. If approved for implementation in 2007, ESMO would be launched in 2011 as a secondary payload into a highly elliptical, low inclination Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) on a either an Ariane 5, Soyuz or EELV launch vehicle. From GTO, the small 180 kg spacecraft would use an on-board propulsion system for lunar transfer, lunar orbit insertion and orbit transfer to its final polar orbit around the Moon. The Phase A study aims to define and trade-off full system design solutions for two different options: a chemical propulsion-based spacecraft and a solar electric propulsion-based spacecraft.

A 10 kg miniaturised payload would perform measurements in lunar orbit over a period of 6 months. The core payload is a Narrow Angle Camera for optical imaging of the lunar surface, principally for education outreach purposes, and a scientific payload consisting of a nanosat subsatellite for precision global gravity field mapping via accurate Doppler tracking of the subsatellite from the main spacecraft. Such a nanosat, called Lunette, would need to be deployed in a low altitude near-circular polar orbit at 200 km or below. The Phase A is studying the impact of this science requirement on the system design and cost. The paper will present the present status of the ESMO project, and the results of the Phase A Feasibility Study for the system design options and payload described.

Abstract document

IAC-07-A3.6.A.07.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-A3.6.A.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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