Good day.

Was thinking about SMART-1 and wondering about the images and data it was getting from the Moon.
- LRK -

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http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/SMART-1/SEMJHDO3E4E_0.html
SMART-1's first images from the Moon
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Wonder if we have found any evidence of water at the poles?
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120371_index_0_m.html
http://smart.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=10

Maybe I need to go to some of the conferences to hear what is being found first hand.
- LRK -

Maybe the Moon doesn't have a high enough priority. Seem there is only so many hours in the day. Where do you point your antennas, to the Moon, Mars, Venus or the stars?
- LRK -

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http://smart.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=38814
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SMART-1 has been suffering from the high ground station usage of the other ESA science missions and the activities related to the launches of three ESA spacecraft in the past two months. To provide for extra downlink capabilities successful interface tests have been performed with the German Weilheim station.
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Let me know if you have seen any results that shed light on those dark recesses of the Moon.
- LRK -

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http://smart.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=38855
Latest Operational Update
28 Feb 2006 16:47
Report for period 16 January to 19 February 2006
Smart-1 suffered another Double EDAC error on 19 of January. SSC requested ESOC to compile all addresses that have been subject of double EDAC errors and sent them to SSC to check for a possible correlation with a specific chip malfunction. This time ESOC tried a new procedure that prevents loosing any data, this was done on 20 January and proved to be successful.
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I have not taken the time to read all of the reports, guess I have some work cut out for me.
- LRK -

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http://smart.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=34144
PDF Archive of SMART-1 Status Reports
All the Status Reports for the mission are available as pdf files. Click on the link to download the relevant file. Please note: to open the file you will need Adobe Reader, or a similar package that can handle pdf formatted files.
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Wonder what we will find on the next missions to the Moon and whether the news will be shared and pushed to the public to build good press for further missions?

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update

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http://www.aas.org/publications/baas/v37n3/dps2005/11.htm
37th DPS Meeting, 4-9 September 2005
Session 48 SMART-1
Invited, HAD Intro., Thursday, September 8, 2005, 9:00-10:30am, Music Concert Hall
[48.02] SMART-1 Mission Overview: Lunar Results and Perspectives B.H. Foing (Chief Scientist, ESA/SCI-S), SMART-1 Team

SMART-1 is the first ESA mission that reached the Moon. It is the first of Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology as part of ESA science programme Cosmic Vision. Its objective is to demonstrate Solar Electric Primary Propulsion (SEP) for future Cornerstones (such as Bepi-Colombo) and to test new technologies for spacecraft and instruments. The spacecraft was launched on 27 Sept. 2003, as Ariane-5 auxiliary passenger, left the inner radiation belt, and spiralled out towards lunar capture on 15 November 2004, and then towards lunar science orbit reached on 1 March 2005. The mission has been extended until August 2006. This will permit science but also to prepare future international lunar exploration. We shall present an overiew of the mission, and of the first lunar results from SMART-1's science and technology payload, featuring many innovative instruments and advanced technologies with a total mass of some 19 kg. Besides navigation to the Moon, the technology demonstration included an experiment (KaTE) for deep-space communications in the X and Ka-bands, a radio-science experiment (RSIS), a deep space optical link (Laser-Link Experiment), using the ESA Optical Ground station in Tenerife, and the validation of a system of autonomous navigation (OBAN). The payload includes a miniaturized high-resolution camera (AMIE) for lunar surface imaging, a near-infrared point-spectrometer (SIR) for lunar mineralogy investigation, and a very compact X-ray spectrometer (D-CIXS) measuring fluorescence spectroscopy and imagery of the Moon's surface elemental composition. SMART-1 lunar science investigations include studies of the chemical composition of the Moon, of geophysical processes (volcanism, tectonics, cratering, erosion, deposition of ices and volatiles) for comparative planetology, and high resolution studies in preparation for future steps of lunar exploration. The mission could address several topics such as the accretional processes that led to the formation of rocky planets, and the origin and evolution of the Earth-Moon system.
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http://www.aas.org/publications/baas/v37n3/dps2005/220.htm
37th DPS Meeting, 4-9 September 2005
Session 48 SMART-1

Invited, HAD Intro., Thursday, September 8, 2005, 9:00-10:30am, Music Concert Hall
[48.03] First Results at the Moon from the SMART-1 / AMIE Experiment J.L. Josset, S. Beauvivre (SPACE-X), AMIE Team

The Advanced Moon micro-Imager Experiment (AMIE), on board ESA SMART-1, the first European mission to the Moon (launched on 27th September 2003), is an imaging system with scientific, technical and public outreach oriented objectives. The science objectives are to image the Lunar South Pole, permanent shadow areas (ice deposit), eternal light (crater rims), ancient Lunar Non-mare volcanism, local spectro-photometry and physical state of the lunar surface, and to map high latitudes regions (south) mainly at far side (South Pole Aitken basin). The technical objectives are to perform a laserlink experiment (detection of laser beam emitted by ESA/Tenerife ground station), flight demonstration of new technologies and on-board autonomy navigation. The public outreach and educational objectives are to promote planetary exploration. We present here the first results obtained during the cruise phase and at the Moon.
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http://smart.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=10
THE MISSION:

ESA's SMART-1 will test miniaturisation technology while exploring the Moon from orbit. It is the first space probe ESA has ever sent to the Moon and it also is the first of ESA's missions to test advanced technology needed for future scientific planetary missions.
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http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=31053&farchive_o
bjecttypeid=15&farchive_objectid=30995&fareaid_2=10
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SMART-1 update, coordinated campaign and impact Presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, Texas, special session on 15 March 2006.
Publication date: 15 Mar 2006

SMART-1 mission to the Moon: Status, first results and goals We present the first results from SMART-1's science and technology payload.

SMART-1 is Europe's first lunar mission and will provide some significant advances to many issues currently active in lunar science, such as our understanding of lunar origin and evolution. The mission also contributes a step in developing an international program of lunar exploration. The spacecraft was launched on 27 September 2003 on an Ariane 5, as an auxiliary passenger to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), performed a 14-month long cruise using the tiny thrust of electric propulsion alone, reached lunar capture in November 2004, and lunar science orbit in March 2005. SMART-1 carries seven hardware experiments (performing 10 investigations, including three remote sensing instruments, used during the cruise, the mission's nominal six months and one year extension in lunar science orbit). The remote sensing instruments will contribute to key planetary scientific questions related to theories of lunar origin and evolution, the global and local crustal composition, the search for cold traps at the lunar poles and the mapping of potential lunar resources.

Publication date: 02 Mar 2006
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Two page pdf file with graphics. - LRK -
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http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2006/pdf/1920.pdf
ESA'S SMART-1 MISSION: LUNAR SCIENCE RESULTS AFTER ONE YEAR B.H. Foing*, M. Grande, J. Huovelin, J.-L. Josset, H.U. Keller, A. Nathues, A. Malkki, G. Noci, B. Kellett, S. Beauvivre, M. Almeida, D. Frew, J.Volp, D. Heather, G. Schwehm, D. Koschny, J.Zender, P.
McMannamon, O. Camino, G.D. Racca, SMART1 Scienceand Technology Working Team, ESTEC/SCI-S, postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, NL, Europe,
(Bernard.Foing@esa.int)

Introduction: Thanks to the successful electric propulsion navigation, the SMART-1 spacecraft reached lunar capture on 17 November 2004, and has spiraled down to reach on 15 March 2005 a lunar is to orbit the Moon 300-3000 km for a nominal science period of six months, with 1 year science extension. We shall report at LPSC2006 on one year of lunar science results, and describe the plan for operations until end of mission impact in August 2006.
Overview of SMART-1 mission and payload:

SMART-1 is the first in the programme of ESA's Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology [1,2,3]. Its first objective has been achieved to demonstrate Solar Electric Primary Propulsion (SEP) for future Cornerstones (such as Bepi-Colombo) and to test new technologies for spacecraft and instruments.

The SMART-1 spacecraft has been launched on 27 Sept. 2003, as an Ariane-5 auxiliary passenger and injected in GTO Geostationary Tranfer Orbit.
SMART-1 science payload, with a total mass of some 19 kg, features many innovative instruments and advanced technologies [1]. A miniaturised highresolution camera (AMIE) for lunar surface imaging, a near-infrared point-spectrometer (SIR) for lunar mineralogy investigation, and a very compact X-ray spectrometer (D-CIXS) for fluorescence spectroscopy and imagery of the Moon's surface elemental composition.

The payload also includes two plasma experiments:
SPEDE (Spacecraft Potential, Electron and Dust Experiment, PI. A. Malkki) and EPDP (Electric propulsion diagnostic Package, PI G. Noci), an experiment (KaTE) that demonstrated deep-space telemetry and telecommand communications in the X and Ka-bands, a radio-science experiment (RSIS), a deep space optical link (Laser-Link Experiment), using the ESA Optical Ground station in Tenerife, and the validation of a system of autonomous navigation
(OBAN) based on image processing.
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Six page PDF file with information about the instruments. - LRK -
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http://www.ssc.se/data/content/DOCUMENTS/200482093348473Lunar%20Conference%2
0%20%20Smart.pdf
PAYLOADS ON-BOARD THE SMART-1 SPACECRAFT S/C interface, integration, test and early operations Bo Ljung / Swedish Space Corporation
SMART-1 Payload Interface manager

Abstract
This paper focuses on the integration and test of the payloads onboard the
SMART-1 spacecraft. Swedish Space Corporation is prime contractor for ESA's SMART-1, Europe's first Lunar mission The spacecraft was successfully launched on 27 September from Kourou.

The LEOP test phase has now been completed and all systems are performing nominally. The primary mission objective is to test the efficiency of electric propulsion and its impact on instruments and support systems, acting as a precursor for future interplanetary missions. Some of the scientific payloads play a key role in this concept by characterising the motor performance and its side effects. Others will look at the Moon, performing in particular a mineralogical survey of the still much unexplored lunar South Pole region. Observations of the Sun and other astronomical objects, as well as tests of a deep space transponder, are also planned.

Although the constraints in terms of mass, power and size have been very strict it has been possible to house all the planned payloads on-board this small spacecraft by using state-of-the-art concepts and methods of miniaturisation. Seven payloads with a total mass of less than 19 kg and a typical combined operational power of 15 W will perform a very ambitious agenda of observations.

The philosophy of interfacing the various payloads to the spacecraft support systems as well as the integration and test of the payloads on the spacecraft is discussed. A description of each payload and planned observations then follows. Finally early results are discussed.
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK
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