POSSIBLE WAYS TOWARDS A EUROPEAN INVOLVEMENT IN A GLOBAL LUNAR TRANSPORTATION AND SERVICE ARCHITECTURE

摘要

Exploration of the Moon has met a major milestone in November 2006 when NASA presented the result of its Lunar Architecture study and its objective to build a permanently occupied lunar outpost as the core of its exploration endeavor. Europe has started the evaluation of its own lunar exploration architecture at national and ESA level and faces several alternatives, some of them being exclusive, which are reviewed in this paper: independent robotic exploration, with science of the Moon and science from the Moon, participation to the lunar base by providing some of its elements, such as base modules, surface transport elements such as rovers or cranes, participation to the lunar base through cargo logistics; participation in transportation of crew to the lunar base. The conclusion of this review is that if Europe decides to start a human and robotic exploration of the Moon, the development of a high-precision automated lunar landing capability therefore seems an attractive option, since it is within European technical and financial capabilities while enabling both independent robotic exploration of the Moon and a significant logistics participation in the Moon outpost, or a combination of both, according to decisions to be taken at the beginning of next decade.