Japanese lunar mission, LUNAR-A

Abstract

Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan, plans to undertake a lunar mission, named as LUNAR-A, which is to be launched in 1997. The scientific objective of the mission is to explore the lunar interior using seismometry and heat-flow measurement toward better understanding of the origin and evolution of the moon. The M-V, the newest version of the Mu series launch vehicles is used to send about 520 kg of spacecraft to the lunar transfer orbit. Three penetrators are deployed from a spacecraft onto the lunar surface, using the Rhumb-Line attitude control and constitute a seismic and heat-flow measurement network of a larger span than the Apollo ALSEP network. Each penetrator contains a three-axis seimometer and a heat flow probe and weighs 13 kg. The life time of the penetrator is limited by the battery capacity and is estimated to be one year.