Research report 2003 - Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
SMART-1 - Europe’s Mission to the Moon
Authors
Mall, Urs
Departments
Allgemeine Abteilung (Christensen, Solanki, Vasyliunas) (Prof. Dr. Sami Solanki)
MPI für Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau
Summary
After a limited view of the lunar surface during the years of the Apollo program, remote sensing missions flown during the last ten years have allowed, for the first time, a global overview of the composition of the lunar surface. Lunar science can bring insight into the general understanding of planetary formation theories. After 30 years a new initiative is on the way to resolve the remaining questions in lunar science. Among the currently planned missions, the European SMART-1 (Small Advanced Research Missions) mission will reach the Moon next. As part of the payload a near-infrared spectrometer, named SIR, developed at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Katlenburg-Lindau, will be used to investigate the far side of the Moon, undisturbed from the Earth’s atmosphere, and to participate in the search for water on the Moon.