FUTURE LUNAR MISSIONS
The exploration of the Moon is by no means complete, and interest in the Moon remains high. Past and recent missions continue to pose as many questions as they answer. This page provides some information on plans for various proposed future missions to, and operations on, the Moon.
Other Missions to the Moon
Other countries besides the U.S. are interested in lunar exploration, and several are discussing the possibility of planning missions of their own. The International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) has been established, with the goal of being the information exchange center for such missions. This group includes representatives from many major space agencies around the world and is charged with developing an international strategy for the exploration of the Moon. It collects information on potential lunar missions (both robotic and manned), as well as new scientific and resource information about the Moon.
Chandrayaan-1 Lunar Orbiter
Chandrayaan-1 (Hindi for "Voyage to the Moon") is being developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to collect scientific information on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-1 Information at NSSDC [NASA]
Chang'e Program
The first mission in the program, named for a Chinese legend about a young fairy who flies to the Moon, will be the Chang'e-1 designed to map and study the Moon and the near-lunar region.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)
This first mission in NASA's Robotic Lunar Exploration Program, is designed to map the lunar surface and characterize landing sites for future missions to the Moon.
The LUNAR-A Mission
This is a Japanese mission to image the Moon, monitor moonquakes, measure the near-surface thermal properties and heat flux, and study the lunar core and interior structure.
SELenological and ENgineering Explorer (SELENE)
This idea for a lunar orbiter/lander mission was developed by the Japanese to study the origin, evolution, and tectonics of the Moon.
Previously Considered Missions
The current missions proposals listed above are the latest in a string of proposals for new missions to the Moon. Some other mission ideas that have been considered in the past are listed below. These are included on this page because they show the wide variety of interest in lunar exploration.
The LunarSat Mission
LunarSat is a European proposal for a lunar micro-orbiter to investigate the suitability of the Moon's south pole for the first permanent human outpost.
The Lunar Orbiting Observatory Mission (LOOM)
Conceived by the Japanese as a follow-up to their Hiten and LUNAR-A missions, the spacecraft would have mapped the lunar surface and performed landing experiments.
Lunar European Demonstration Approach (LEDA)
This was a proposed program of the European Space Agency (ESA). It was designed in phases, beginning with missions to further survey the Moon and going on to establish a lunar outpost.
The EuroMoon 2000 Mission
This mission would combine an orbiter and a lander to search for possible frozen volatiles such as water. The lander would have also released robotic experiments to explore the Aitken Basin.
Private and Commercial Endeavors
Governments and space agencies are not the only groups interested in returning to the Moon. Universities, student groups, and private companies are developing their own ideas for lunar exploration and/or ventures of some kind. The following sites contain information on these endeavors.
The Lunar Ice Discovery Mission
This mission would conduct a robotic investigation of the south pole region of the Moon, searching for water ice and performing geological studies.
The Lunar TrailBlazer Mission
This mission is intended to return video images and high-resolution imagery of the lunar surface over a period of 30-90 days.
Humans on the Moon
The ultimate goal of many interested in the ongoing exploration of the Moon is to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon. Listed below are some groups and organizations that are planning for that day.
Lunar Base Literature
Over the years much has been written about colonizing the Moon. Below are some Web sites that offer listings/bibliographies of references on the topic.
Humans on the Moon
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