The German Space Agency DLR has continued the LEO mission preparation in 2008 with an ongoing conceptual study (phase-A). Major tasks were the determination of payload and system requirements and specifications and the further improvement of the mission concept. The LEO mission concept is based on a main satellite and two sub-satellites. LEO will investigate the Moon from a 50 km orbit with unique spatial and spectral resolution, high accuracy potential field measurements and innovative environmental analysis. The main satellite will carry optical instruments for high resolution stereoscopic topographic mapping and impact event monitoring, imaging spectrometers, the microwave, radar and x-ray instruments, a radiation monitor, a dust sensor, a Langmuir probe and the HDTV camera, all together about 100 kg of payload for 15 experiments. In addition, the two sub-satellites are used for gravity, magnetic field and radiation pressure measurements. LEO will provide a unique and complete set of integrated data with global lunar coverage for a broad variety of scientific evaluations. Due to the missing funding decision in 2008 the mission preparation is right now brought into a dormant mode and so far achieved results will be secured.
展开▼
