Lunar Exploration Systems at OHB-System – An Overview

Paper number

IAC-08.A3.2.B15

Author

Dr. Rolf Janovsky, OHB-System AG, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Dominik Lang, OHB System AG, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Hartmut Mueller, OHB-System, Germany

Coauthor

Dr. David Koebel, OHB-System AG, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Marc Scheper, OHB-System, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Markus Katzkowski, OHB-System AG, Germany

Coauthor

Dr. Kristian Pauly, OHB-System AG, Germany

Year

2008

Abstract

Earth’s moon has been re-discovered in the recent past as an attractive target for space exploration with robotic systems and eventually later-on its utilization, including a presence of humans on the natural Earth’s satellite. Compared to interplanetary space exploration, technical, programmatic and cost risk of moon exploration are by far lower. 

A number of system- and technology-studies relevant for the exploration of Earth’s moon has been performed at OHB-System in the past three years, in various contracts for the German space agency and ESA. In the frame of a study called “Mona Lisa” a review of the interests of various groups within Germany was performed and a programmatic roadmap to achieve their objectives in a sequence of missions was defined. Four reference missions, starting with a lunar orbiter, followed by a lunar lander, a lunar sample return mission and finally a human mission were defined in that context. Following that OHB performed a pre-design study for a lunar scientific orbiter (“LEO”), capable to perform a high-quality lunar observation mission. The next step was to investigate a medium-size unmanned lunar landing vehicle (“Mona Lisa Lander”, “Next”), capable to transport various payloads to the lunar surface, among them an astrobiological habitat and a scientific rover. A specific aspect here was to analyse from a system level point of view different methods to explore lunar craters, which are very demanding with regard to locomotion, communication and power supply. On technology side a joint project with Astrium and DFKI is performed (“Lunares”) to investigate means to demonstrate the operation of lunar rovers in these difficult terrains. In ESA’s “exploration architecture studies” OHB-System is responsible to pre-design the lunar surface habitats, as well as specific elements of a lunar space station. Finally, a project with the objective to make use of lunar resources and to demonstrate the acquisition of regolith from lunar oxygen was performed.

This paper gives an overview on the studies performed at OHB-System related to the exploration of the Moon, shows the specific objectives and tasks as well as the design concepts derived in the various studies.

Abstract document

IAC-08.A3.2.B15.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.A3.2.B15.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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