Commercial Partnerships for Exploration: Making Small Lunar Missions Viable S.Jason 1, C. Saunders 1, J. Friend 1, M.Cosby 2, J.Carpenter 3, B.Hufenbach 3 V.La Regina 3, M.Sweeting 4 1. Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, Tycho House, 20 Stephenson Road, Surrey Research Park, Guildford GU2 7YE, United Kingdom 2. Goonhilly Earth Station Limited, Goonhilly Downs, Helston Cornwall, TR12 6LQ, United Kingdom 3. European Space Agency, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, Netherlands 4. Surrey Space Centre, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom Low Cost Planetary Missions Conference Pasadena, 15-17 August, 2017
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd 2
Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd The most famous & once the world s largest Teleport The first ever transatlantic TV pictures via Telstar in 1962 Broadcast of the 1969 Moon landings around Europe Moscow the first Olympics covered via satellite 1985 Live Aid link between London and LA GES Ltd is delivering pioneering projects Commercial Satellite communications TT&C, TV Broadcast, Hosting LEO Satellite support Deep Space communication projects Space Science & Radio Astronomy Data Centre services, Renewable Energy investment Science (STEM) Outreach & Skills Training New Antenna Builds Increased & diverse connectivity investment JANET/BT/OTHERS Alignment with key regional & UK strategies (space/igs/digital) GES is continuing to develop new capabilities - www.goonhilly.org
Commercial Partnerships for Exploration Initiative ESA is currently investigating ways that partnerships with industry can benefit space exploration activities SSTL and Goonhilly responded to an ESA call SPACE EXPLORATION AS A DRIVER FOR GROWTH AND COMPETITIVENESS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR The Lunar Communications Pathfinder Mission proposed as the first in a series of missions to build up core infrastructure to support exploration offering payload transportation, communications, navigation Down-selected from over 60 proposals and engaging in a pilot phase to develop the partnership 4
Market Emergence & Stimulation The moon and inner solar system remain high profile scientific, technical and economic targets for international missions, national missions, the private sector and academia Sources: Google Lunar X-prize (top left) ; United Launch Alliance ( Cis-Lunar 1000 ) (top right) ; International Space Exploration Coordination Group, Global Exploration ESA Space Exploration Strategy (bottom left); Roadmap (bottom middle);; The upcoming market sectors of Lunar Exploration, London School of Economics, 2013 (bottom left)
Catalysing the Lunar Economy For small missions, in particular, the key barriers are still affordable access to lunar and deep space orbits and communications back to Earth. We are working to remove these barriers We will provide service infrastructure to enable new space exploration businesses
Lunar Services Pathfinder Mission ESA, SSTL, Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd are working together on a new commercial partnership initiative to provide affordable international space exploration services and flight opportunities The Lunar Services Pathfinder Mothership delivers customer assets into Lunar Orbit and provides communications and navigation services Initial Services Delivery of SmallSats into Lunar Orbit Hosted payload slots on Mothership Data relay services with Earth Orbit determination for Lunar assets Dedicated space and ground segment for small exploration missions
Long Term Plan Phased, evolutionary approach Providing commercial services. to support the exploration of cis-lunar space and the development of a multi-planetary economy
Implementation: Commercial Partnership for Exploration Space Segment Provision of data relay Mothership Exploits commercial mission facilities and flight proven systems Integration of customer missions & payloads Ground Segment Goonhilly-6 32m antenna upgraded to 1st node in commercial DSN Site with Global high speed connectivity Mission operations centre and user services Commercial Partnership Facilities Expertise Technology transfer Regulatory support International connections Providing Lunar Ride, Seek and Speak services for small missions!
Mission Architecture 10
Operational Architecture Watch the Lunar Pathfinder Video on https://www.youtube.co m/user/sstltv and please give us a like!!
Key Mission Characteristics
Key Mission Characteristics old school style! PARAMETER DESCRIPTION COMMENT Transfer Phase Passenger deployment phase Orbit raising to boost GTO apogee to lunar radius, capture into elliptical lunar polar orbit 200km x 5000km Bi-propellant chemical propulsion. Duration ~ 1 month. Customer tailorable Currently assumes apolune over lunar south pole Data relay orbit 800km x 8000km Offers good stability & coverage Total payload mass to lunar orbit 60 kg Assuming reference mission architecture Payload physical interface Cubesat standard and bespoke Smallsats Various mechanical, power & data interfaces supported Data Relay to Mothership CCSDS UHF Proximity-1 Allows cross-support Mothership to Earth Data Relay X-band for Earth link Supports ~180 Gbits per day to Goonhilly 32m dish Estimated data throughput Up to 1 Gbit per user per day Specific throughput is a function of user orbit & resources Design lifetime 6 months lunar operations, Goal 1-2 years Dependency on customer-selected orbits Schedule 36 months Launch timeframe: 1 st mission 2021 Target Ticket Price 1 Million / kg Launch Fees & transfer to lunar orbit plus first 6 months data relay services
Financing & Status Lunar Comms Pathfinder Mission is to be financed by ticket sales. Standard ticket price targeted is 1 million per kg and includes Delivery to lunar orbit Plus 6 months data relay services between Earth and Moon Progressing firm and new commitments to finalise the manifest Commercial partnership pilot phase reviews underway >> moving into implementation phase Intent Secured In Capture Remaining Capacity International base of customers and pioneering partners for the mission
Valuable & exciting benefits for all! SCIENCE New opportunities for science & collaboration De-risking for flagship exploration missions ECONOMICS New missions and demonstration opportunities Commercialisation of cis-lunar space COOPERATION INSPIRATION Engagement of emerging space nations International partnerships & industrial alliances New opportunities for education & public engagement Inspire the next generation Let s pioneer the interplanetary small satellite revolution together
Thank you!! Please talk to us about your requirements! s.jason@sstl.co.uk lunar@sstl.co.uk www.goonhilly.org/lunar