SMALLSAT TO THE MOON: A SCIENCE OPPORTUNITY FOR A COMMUNICATION/NAVIGATION NETWORK

摘要

Small, low cost missions have become highly successful in recent years, with outstanding results and many scientific and commercial uses. The capabilities of small satellites have also seen dramatic improvement, and have matured to the point where such missions offer huge potential within space exploration. In previous centuries, nations and groups participating in exploration have gained significant economic benefits, and leadership and a modest investment in space exploration now can position the UK as a key player in this area. SSTL has been investigating lunar missions since 1996, and have conducted numerous in-house, ESA funded and most recently nationally funded studies for the UK STFC (see footnote). However the prospect of small, affordable spacecraft regularly visiting the Moon and providing useful scientific returns has mostly remained as concept studies to date. This paper focuses on the development and current project status of a low-cost lunar mission. This mission focuses on providing surface assets with communications and navigation infrastructure, but also offers the potential to offer a space science platform (including surface penetrators) for affordable science missions. Additionally it will act as a proving ground for technology essential for the robotic exploration of Mars, de-risking larger programmes such as EXOMars and MSR.