SMART-1 lunar mission: Operations close to moon impact

Abstract

SMART-1 is the first of the European Space Agency's Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology. It demonstrated orbit raising from geostationary transfer orbit to the Moon using solar-electric propulsion. In November 2004 SMART-1 successfully manoeuvred into Moon orbit. Since February 2005 SMART-1 has been in its operational orbit performing scientific operations that were interrupted only by a one-month reboost phase in September 2005 to re-optimize the orbit. Without orbit control, natural degradation of the orbit causes the spacecraft to impact the Moon on the far side by midaugust 2006. With orbit control, the impact date and location can be influenced such an Earth observation campaign can be organized to observe it. This paper will outline how the ground segment at ESOC (Darmstadt, Germany) and the ESA Directorate of Scientific Programmes at ESTEC (Noordwijk, The Netherlands) are preparing for operations close to Moon impact. It will highlight how the orbit evolves towards the end of the mission, discuss how the different spacecraft sub-systems are affected by the changing orbit and close proximity of the Moon, and suggest ideas for special operations at low altitude and around the time of impact. © 2006 by European Space Agency (ESA).