Scenario 5: Lunar X-prize
- MISSION TYPE: commercial, non-agency mission
SC1: Erik Laan/Maria Sovago
SC2: Wim van Westrenen
Relevance and planned missions
This mission is a bit of an odd one out, as it is a non-agency mission. This may require a totally new way of thinking related to landing sites! Therefore in principle it does not need to fit directly into any specific exploration programme. The Google Lunar X-Prize will be won by a team that lands a robot on the lunar surface, moves a total distance of at least 500 meters, and transmits to Earth a video or TV movie of its trip across the surface. Additional money can be won if the mission detects water, films Apollo hardware on the surface, etc.
This may sound frivolous but the background to this mission is very serious indeed. Commercial entities are already involved in space missions, and the expectation is that this will involvement will grow significantly over the coming decades. To position themselves in a growing commercial market, companies are keen to show their capabilities related to, for example, payload shipments and (autonomous) precision landings.
A second important aspect related to this specific mission can be its relevance for the identification of lunar resources in the broadest sense.
Style of mission scenario
Commercial mission with a small science budget. At this stage clearly technology-driven, with opportunities for future science/exploration driven goals, especially related to lunar resources.
Goals of the mission
The goals of the mission as a whole are stated under (1). The question for scientists will be: how can we gain most information while not interfering with that basic goal!
Technical possibilities and constraints to the mission and to the landing
By nature this will likely be a short (< 1 week) mission. Assume a lander with mobility capability, either with a rover or in the form of a ‘hopping’ spacecraft that is capable of multiple take-offs and landings but which is static once on the ground. There is no need to take or return samples, think of in situ measurements only.
Preliminary criteria for the landing site
Technologically not too challenging as the Prize will be won by any successful landing, not a particularly tricky one. Near equator, but with as high a potential for science impact so that the winner can show it did more than just win the Prize. Detection of Apollo-era hardware or volatiles would be excellent.