Fact Sheet
SMART-1 was used to test solar electric propulsion and other deep-space technologies, while performing scientific observations of the Moon. Among the scientific investigations, mission data will help to provide answers to questions about the origin of the Moon and to search for ice in the craters at the Moon's south pole. The mission ended on 3 September 2006 when the spacecraft, in a planned manoeuvre, impacted the lunar surface in the Lacus Excellentiae region.
Mission Objectives
Testing and proving of an ion drive and miniaturised instruments, along with investigations of the lunar geochemistry and a search for ice at the south lunar pole.
Mission Name
SMART is the abbreviation for Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology.
Spacecraft
| Prime contractor | Swedish Space Corporation, Solna, Sweden | | Launch date | 27 September 2003 | | Launcher | Ariane-5 (SMART-1 was one of three satellites launched together on flight V162) | | Launch mass | 366.5 kilograms | | Dimensions | 1 cubic metre |
Instruments
| Instrument | Purpose | Principal investigator institutes | | EPDP | To monitor the working of the propulsion system and its effects on the spacecraft | G. Noci, Laben Proel, Italy | | SPEDE | To also monitor the effect of the propulsion system and to investigate the electrical environment of the Earth-Moon space | W. Schmidt, FMI, Finland | | KaTE | To test more efficient communication techniques with Earth | D. Heuer, Astrium GmbH, Germany | | RSIS | Use the KaTE and AMIE instruments to investigate the way the Moon wobbles | L. Iess, University of Rome, Italy | | OBAN | Software to allow the spaceprobe to guide itself to the Moon | F. Ankersen, ESA | | AMIE | To test a miniaturised camera and take colour images of the Moon's surface | J. Josset, CSEM, Switzerland | | SIR | To search for ice and make a mineralogical mapping of the Moon | U. Keller, Max Planck Institute für Aeronomie, Germany | | D-CIXS | To investigate the composition of the Moon | M. Grande, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, United Kingdom | | XSM | To calibrate the D-CIXS data and study solar X-ray emission | J. Huovenin, University of Helsinki Observatory, Finland |
Orbit
14-month transfer orbit from Earth to the Moon. The final operational science orbit is a polar elliptical orbit, ranging from 300 kilometres to 3000 kilometres above the Moon.
Operations Centre
| Institute | Location | | Mission Operations Centre (MOC) | ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany | | Science and Technology Operations Coordination (STOC) | ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands | | Ground stations | | Ground stations | ESA deep space network around the world | | Additional information | | Foreseen operational duration | 2-2.5 years | | Costs | 100 million euros at 2001 economic conditions (including launch, operations and part of the payload) |
Last Update: 12 Dec 2011
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