Luna 27

Luna 27
Names Luna-Resurs
Mission type Technology, reconnaissance
Operator Roscosmos
Start of mission
Launch date 2025+ (proposed)
Rocket Soyuz[1]
Moon lander

Luna 27 (Luna-Resurs lander)[2] is a planned lunar lander mission by the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) with collaboration by the European Space Agency (ESA) to send a lander to the South Pole–Aitken basin, an unexplored area of the Moon.[3][4][5] The mission is a continuation of the Luna-Glob programme.[3]

Mission

The purpose is to prospect for minerals, volatiles, and lunar water ice in permanently shadowed areas of the Moon and investigate the potential use of these natural resources.[3] On the long term, they consider building a habitable base on the Moon's far side that would bring scientific and commercial benefits. [3]

Europe's participation in the mission is due to receive final approval at a meeting of ministers in late 2016. If approved, Europe will contribute with the development of a new type of automated landing system, and will also be providing the 'PROSPECT' package, consisting of a drilling, sampling, sample handling, processing and analysis package.[6] The percussion drill is designed to go down to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and collect cemented ice samples for an onboard miniaturised laboratory called ProSPA.[3][6]

The lander mission was announced in November 2014 by Russia,[7] who is planning the launch for 2020.[2][6] Due to budget constraints, an unmanned lunar mission would be performed by 2025, while a manned Moon landing was postponed for 2029.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mitrofanov, Igor. "Luna-Glob” and “Luna-Resurs”: science goals, payload and status (PDF). EGU General Assembly 2014.
  2. 1 2 Missions to the Moon Luna-27. The Planetary Society.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Ghosh, Pallab (16 October 2015). "Europe and Russia mission to assess Moon settlement". BBC News. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  4. ↑ "ESA’s plans for Lunar Exploration" (PDF). European Space Agency (ESA). 2014. Retrieved 2015-10-18.
  5. ↑ "Russia-ESA Lunar Exploration Cooperation: Luna Mission Speed Dating". European Space Agency (ESA). 17 February 2014. Retrieved 2015-10-18.
  6. 1 2 3 "PROSPECTing the Moon" (PDF). European Space Agency (ESA). 18 May 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  7. ↑ "Luna-Resurs lander (Luna-27)". Russian Space Web. October 10, 2014. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  8. ↑ "Russia Postpones Plans on Extensive Moon Exploration Until 2025". Retrieved 2015-12-30.

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