Jim Volp

Smart-1 science operations: Experiences and recommendations from ESA's first lunar mission

The European Space Agency’s Smart-1 spacecraft has been in orbit around the Moon since February 2005. The Smart-1 Science and Technology Operations Coordination Centre (STOC) for ESA’s first lunar mission is based within the Planetary Missions Division, making it the first in a series of interplanetary missions that will have their Science Operations Centre based in ESA. This small team of science operations engineers is responsible for proposing and coordinating all of the payload operations based on an established set of science-themes, prioritised targets and desired observation conditions identified in advance of the mission by the Smart-1 instrument scientists. This paper will summarise the initial goals of Smart-1, then reflect on the achievements and setbacks experienced within each phase of the mission. It will highlight the pro-active planning approach adopted by the STOC, which aims to optimise the science return of the Smart-1 mission. The lessons learned from this approach will be addressed, leading to recommendations for future missions from the perspective of the science operations manager.

New Concepts for Permanently Manned Lunar Bases, Report of the Lunar Base Design Workshop, held in Noordwijk, The Netherlands from 10–21 June 2002

This paper presents some of the results of the Lunar Base Design Workshop, held in Noordwijk, The Netherlands from 10–21 June 2002. Six groups designed six different lunar bases according to six different scenario’s. The main findings have to do with the horizontal and vertical movement in 1/6G in shirt sleeve environment. Different concepts for interaction and “contact” with the green inside the base. Another topic was the use of water ice which can be used in several forms. Organic growth using small elements to create a larger space in the desired shapes was important for several reasons. Man and its activities were the central spine in this design workshop. The results are useful together with the already existing more engineering oriented design studies for the next steps in lunar base development.