SMART-1 lunar first year highlights

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". It has fulfilled its technology objectives to demonstrate Solar Electric Primary Propulsion (SEP) and to test new technologies for spacecraft and instruments. The spacecraft has been launched on 27 Sept. 2003, as Ariane-5 auxiliary passenger. SMART-1 has spiralled out towards lunar capture on 15 November 2004, and then towards lunar science orbit reached on 1 March 2005. After a 15-month cruise with primary SEP and successful technology demonstration, the SMART-1 science and exploration phase, with first lunar orbit results. The status of SMART-1 will be given at the symposium. The mission has been extended and is due to end with an impact on 2-3 September 2006. This is permitting science but also to prepare future international lunar exploration, in collaboration with upcoming missions. We shall present the first year lunar results from SMART-1's science and technology payload. The 19 kg 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) with a new type of detector and micro-collimator which provides fluorescence spectroscopy and imagery of the Moon's surface elemental composition. There is also an experiment (KaTE) aimed at demonstrating 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. 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.