SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND INSTRUMENTS IN THE SELENEMISSION

摘要

The Moon-orbiting SELENE (Selenological andEngineering Explorer) mission is panned in 2006 forlunar science and technology development. Thespacecraft consists of a main orbiting satellite atabout 100 km altitude in the polar orbit and two subsatellitesin the higher elliptical orbits. The scientificobjectives are; 1) study of the origin and evolutionof the Moon, 2) in-situ measurement of the lunarenvironment, and 3) observation of the solarterrestrialplasma environment. SELENE will carry14 instruments for scientific investigation, includingmapping of lunar topography and surfacecomposition, measurement of the gravity andmagnetic fields, and observation of lunar and solarterrestrialplasma environment. The total mass ofscientific payload is about 300 kg. Almost all flighthardware has already been fabricated. Operation anddata analysis center for SELENE is now underdevelopment.