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- Title
Current Attainability of a Lunar Microsatellite Mission for Universities and Similar.
- Authors
STIBBARD, Mark; TUTTLE, Sean
- Abstract
This paper evaluates the attainability of potential lunar missions by small organisations, such as universities and research institutes. To this end, we set a target amount of power to be placed in an unspecified lunar orbit and then examine the key drivers of such a mission; namely, the orbital transfer possibilities, the propulsion and the communications challenges. The paper evaluates a number of potentially feasible scientific mission goals and then in the context of the power constraints, examines the current and near-term technical state-of-the-art in the propulsion and communications fields. It is concluded that a meaningful lunar mission is currently feasible with a microsatellite, financial budget permitting, but it is recommended to invest the next five or so years bringing the currently evolving propulsion and communications technologies to sufficient maturity that a similar mission might be implemented at lower cost with a nanosatellite on the order of the 3 to 6U scale.
- Subjects
NANOSATELLITES; MARS landing sites; TELECOMMUNICATION satellites; SPACE vehicle landing -- Mars (Planet); ELECTRIC power consumption; PROPULSION systems
- Publication
Transactions of the Japan Society of Aeronautical & Space Sciences, Aerospace Technology Japan, 2016, Vol 14, Issue ists 30, p25
- ISSN
1884-0485
- Publication type
Article