Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
3.2.5.
Exploration: Moon and beyond, linked to the utilization
of space
Even though science will be main driving force, lunar programs will be cat-
egorized in the “Utilization” regime. Establishing the advanced engineering
requested for new
in situ
studies and sample return missions, we will develop
the technologies for penetrators and landers in several engineering missions
to Moon.
Lunar-A (cf. Ref. 14) is a lunar penetrator mission. Its aim is to study
the lunar interior, by deploying two penetrators on the near and far side of
the lunar surface, respectively, and using seismometers and heat-flow probes
in the penetrators. Selene-2 is also planned, as a lander mission with much
more precise location selection capability. Since the technical development
is not established yet for these, so its launch date is not fixed for the time
being.
These will not be limited to the lunar science, but will directly expand
the region we can access, including neighborhood planets and beyond.
4. Summary
In the past, the missions of ISAS and ISAS/JAXA were planned and
proposed by working groups through grassroots level discussions, and
developed by scientists and engineers in academic communities. A mission
was selected every 1 or 2 years, purely based on science and engineering
merit. Such an approach worked well, because there were so many science
targets to be tackled by small-sized communities. We selected the best one
at the day of the selection each time. However, the long-term planning and
categories of science targets were not considered insucient.
Now, the development of the long-term vision is required due to the
increasing technical diculty and resources for each mission for next
decades. The planetary program especially requires much longer mission
period, much more advanced technologies, and larger resources. Therefore,
we cannot justify such a program without a long-term vision and a change
of the development framework.
Now, scientists and engineers in JAXA have started the discussion of
the detailed strategic plan based on the road map from the Vision. The
most important point will be the establishment of a “new exploration pro-
gram” (see Sec. 3.2.5). At this stage, the assumed target is Moon. But there
are also other alternatives being forcefully advocated. For example, sample
return missions of solid, liquid, and atmospheric components of Mars and its
