Technology and science from Earth to Moon: SMART-1 experiments and their operations

SMART-1, the first European mission to the Moon aimed at demonstrating the Solar Electric propulsion hosts 10 Technology and Science experiments. The monitoring of the spacecraft plasma environment and the thruster contamination produced by thruster is carried out by SPEDE (Spacecraft Potential, Electron and Dust Experiment) and EPDP (Electric Propulsion Diagnostic Package). The miniaturised remote sensing instruments on-board SMART-1 are: AMIE (Advanced Moon micro-Imager Experiment), D-CIXS (Demonstration of a Compact Imaging X-ray Spectrometer), supported in its operation by XSM (X-ray Solar Monitor), and SIR (SMART-1 Infrared Spectrometer) Technology experiments for deep-space communications and navigation are: KATE (Ka-Band TT&C Experiment), based on X/Ka-band transponder which also supports RSIS (Radio-Science Investigations for SMART-1), Laser-link, demonstrating a deep-space laser communication link and OBAN (On-Board Autonomous Navigation experiment). The Experiments will be performed during two distinct phases of the SMART-1 mission, including 17-month Earth escape phase and a nominal 6-month operational phase in elliptical Moon orbit. The SMART-1 STOC (Science and Technology Operations Co-ordination) carries out the planning and co-ordination of the Technology and science experiments.