Reveal the image of Europe's Moon exploration ship

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced the self-propelled explorer ship model, which is expected to set foot on the Moon's southernmost surface in 2018.

Accordingly, this 800kg heavy exploration ship will automatically perform landing techniques and conduct some environmental experiments right on the Moon's surface with the addition of a mini expedition ship.

The mission of the explorer ship will be discussed at the meeting of the national space ministers meeting in Naples, Italy next month. Officials will also approve to increase project development costs to 100 million euros (130 million USD).

The explorer ship will explore rock on the Moon's surface, which has been captured by satellite devices. Meanwhile, devices on the ship will have the opportunity to test in harsh working environments such as radiation exposure and moon dust.

Model of the lunar exploration ship of Europe

In addition, Astrium - the largest aerospace industry group in Europe, also proposed to join the project named Phase B1 to build the mission model of the explorer ship, check the machine technical requirements. hook, which focuses on technologies for landing process.

As planned, ESA's explorer ship will be taken to the lunar surface by a Soyuz missile from the launch yard of French Guiana in 2018 and landed on the Moon's surface in 2019.

The explorer ship will automatically carry out the orientation and control all activities with the task lasting 6 months. The weight of the ship is up to 800kg and carries 60kg of scientific equipment.

When setting foot on the surface of the Moon, a mini expedition ship and scientific equipment will be dropped onto the surface of the planet. According to the design, the ship has a height of 3.3m, a diameter of 2.4m and a radius of the base part of 2.8m.

One of the most anticipated missions is that the ship will bring the specimens collected on the Moon's surface to Earth - a new mission that has only been built for today's Mars exploration ships. The southernmost area of ​​the Moon was chosen as the landing position of the explorer ship because it received a large amount of sunlight.

Since ESA does not apply radioactive isotope cosmic technology capable of generating electricity and heat to maintain the ship's long-term operation in the dark environment, the amount of sunlight that the ship receives will be used as energy for the operation of the ship.

Although the ship's landing position is still being discussed by scientists, the possibility of the Leibnitz-beta plateau, north of the Shackleton pit, will be chosen as the ship's landing site.