LEO (;
English
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Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
: Lunar Exploration Orbiter) was the name of a proposed
German
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**Ge ...
mission to the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
, announced by the
German Aerospace Center
The German Aerospace Center (german: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., abbreviated DLR, literally ''German Center for Air- and Space-flight'') is the national center for aerospace, energy and transportation research of Germany ...
(DLR) Director Walter Doellinger on March 2, 2007. Because the needed money for the year 2009 was diverted elsewhere, the start of the project was delayed indefinitely.
Precise characteristics of the mission were announced in early 2008, and estimated costs were projected to be ca. €350 million (~$514 million) over five years. The mission would involve a
lunar orbiter that
DLR intended to build and launch in 2012 to map the lunar surface. It would be the first German mission to the Moon and the first
European
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* ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe
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mission to the Moon since
SMART-1.
Numerous leading German planetologists, among them
Gerhard Neukum,
Ralf Jaumann and Tilman Spohn, have condemned the indefinite postponement and argue for resuming the LEO-project.
Europlanet: ''Erklärung zur Äußerung des Bundesministers für Wirtschaft und Technologie, die vom Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) vorgeschlagene Mondmission Lunarer Explorations-Orbiter (LEO) zurückzustellen''
Design
The main satellite will weigh about 500 kilograms and is accompanied by a small sub-satellite, which weighs about 150 kilograms. The intended orbital altitude is about 50 km.
Planned experiments included measurements of lunar gravitational
In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, approximately 1038 times weaker than the stron ...
and magnetic fields. The main satellite would have also carried a microwave radar to probe beneath the lunar surface up to a depth of a few hundred meters. At maximum depth the radar would be able to resolve structures up to two meters.
Science objectives
The duration of the mission around the Moon will be four years, during which the charting of the entire lunar surface would take place. The survey is to be three-dimensional and in colour with one aim being to provide indications of significant geological formations that could later be of interest for drilling.
The probe will also investigate the Moon's magnetic and gravity fields, look for water and analyse the minerals on its surface. It will use the best camera currently available, the best radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
sensors and unique spectrum sensors for measuring the mineral composition.
See also
* German space programme
The German space programme is the set of projects funded by the government of Germany for the exploration and utilisation of outer space. The space programme is run by the German Aerospace Center, who conduct research, plan, and implement the pr ...
References
External links
Germany plans unmanned lunar orbit. Reuters 11.07.2007Germany plans unmanned moon mission
{{Moon spacecraft
Missions to the Moon
Cancelled space probes
Space programme of Germany