April 2005, Issue 4 - Science Angle

Earthrise Over ILO
By Steve Durst

Numerous international lunar observatory
proposals have been made during the
fledgling history of the Space Age. The International
Lunar Observatory (ILO) is different.
The ILO - envisioned as an initial step in
humankind’s lunar base build-out near the
Lunar South Pole - pushes the limits of observation,
providing the best investment
ever made in an astrophysics instrument.
The ILO will test and prove the concept of
conducting robotic astronomy from the
Moon just as NASA is mobilizing to return
humans to its surface and other nations are
working to send and operate an international
fleet of lunar science spacecraft.
In mid-2003, Space Age Publishing Company’s
subsidiary, Lunar Enterprise Corporation
(LEC), commissioned SpaceDev Inc,
a California-based, low-cost space industry
solutions company, to conduct a Phase-A
study for an ILO concept. SPC wanted to see
if an ideal lunar-based astronomy mission
could be accomplished within a short period
of time, with today’s technology and for lowcost.
SpaceDev’s Phase-A study was finished
in late-2003 and presented at the International
Lunar Conference (ILC) 2003 organized
by SPC in Waikoloa, Hawaii Island, USA.
It concluded that such a mission was indeed
feasible – and for remarkably low-cost.
According to the Phase-A study, it could
take less than two years to develop the ILO
and place it on the lunar surface. The mission
utilizes what has been learned from
many previous Moon missions. In helping to
create the ILO, SpaceDev can utilize its experience
from developing and operating the
revolutionarily low-cost CHIPSAT mission for
NASA. The ILO can be constructed using the
lowest cost, highest quality parts and materials
that the space industry has to offer. It
can be ground tested in and operated from
the most affordable facilities.
SpaceDev’s Phase-A study suggests the
dependable, low-cost Ukraine Dnepr rocket
as the ILO’s launch vehicle. After blasting
off from Baikonur Cosmodrome or Russia’s
Dombarovsky base, the ILO mission is flexible.
It could reach the Moon in less than a
week or take one to two months to reach
the Moon, inspecting the landing site and
taking valuable Earthrise imagery. This would
actually lower the overall mission cost by
reducing the number of necessary ground
stations.
Based on the Phase-A study’s suggestion
to learn more about landing aspects of
the mission, a Phase-B study, which LEC
commissioned from SpaceDev in July 2004,
focused on landing capabilities to ensure
that the ILO arrives at the Lunar South Pole
safely and precisely. This second study was
completed in November 2004 and presented
by SpaceDev CEO Jim Benson at
Steve Durst is founder and director
of Lunar Enterprise Corporation (LEC)
and Editor/Publisher for Space Age Publishing
Company (www.spaceagepub.com).
the ILC2004 in Udaipur, India. “We are excited
about this project because it is in keeping
with the original goal of SpaceDev to
design, build and fly commercial deep space
science missions, and should result in our
development of additional transformational
space technology,” said Benson.
The Phase-B study decided against the
added expense of an orbiter to aid the ILO’s
navigation, instead providing the option of
using several reliable methods that employ
the lunar surface. The study concludes that
using one or any combination of these methods
would allow the ILO to land within about
100 meters of a specific target location –
accuracy that has never before been
achieved.
This unmanned mission is designed to
put a small dish antenna near the south pole
of the Moon. From that location it will be in
near-constant sunlight for solar power generation,
and should be able to perform multiwavelength
astronomy while communicating
with ground stations on Earth. As currently
envisioned by SPC, the ILO will be a
two-meter dish, standing about three meters
in height. Several missions and payloads
can be added to the ILO to increase the
scope of its overall mission. An arm with a
water ice ground truth detection capability
or a lunar rover are among these possibilities.

SpaceDev estimates that its International
Lunar Observatory lander mission can
be conducted for significantly less than the
cost of previous missions such as the successful
$100 million NASA Lunar Prospector,
and the $150 million DoD Clementine
orbiter (in today’s dollars). The Phase-A and
Phase-B studies have been paid for, but
US$35 - $50 million must eventually be
raised for the mission itself. It is a small sum
when compared to the $2 billion Hubble
Space Telescope or the $500 - 667 million
James Webb Space Telescope, whose unserviceable
lifetime will last only 5-10 years.
The ILO’s funding could come from many
sources. Any or all of the international space
agencies could contribute to the mission
cost. The eight largest agencies would only
have to donate about $5 million apiece. Science
foundations and philanthropic trusts
also could make large contributions. Memorandums
Of Understanding are currently
being achieved with leading astronomical
centers and institutions in order to obtain
the best technical and professional advice
possible. “Angel financing” (private contributions)
from individuals or organizations could
also tremendously benefit the ILO project.
Besides uncertain funding, the ILO could
be placed on the Moon in the near future
(mid-2007). The necessary technologies
(parts, operations center, etc.), launch capabilities
and developers are all available.
SpaceDev, Inc. has worked out the logistics
of the mission, finding it realistic with a worthy
goal in an achievable timeframe.
The International Lunar Observatory initiative
saw significant progress in 2004.
After researching the benefits and possibilities
of conducting lunar astronomy, SPC
convened a network of about 20 of the
world’s foremost lunar development and
astronomical experts to serve on the initial
ILO Advisory Committee. Members hail from
Canada, Japan, India, Russia, Europe and
across the USA, and will spend 2005 determining
the most meaningful scientific
return possible from placement of a small
robotic telescope at the lunar South Pole.
Many ILO Advisory Committee members are
also members of the International Lunar
Exploration Working Group (ILEWG), the
world’s foremost network of space science
professionals involved in lunar exploration.
The ILO Advisory Committee is also tasked
with helping to gain institutional support for
the ILO mission.
The formation of the Committee is complemented
by a new ILO website (see
www.spaceagepub.com/ilo/ilo.home.html).
The website delivers updates and detailed
information on the ILO initiative and contains
detailed information on the benefits humanity
gains by conducting astrophysics from
the Moon. It also details the field’s brief history,
which includes Captain John Young’s
use of a telescope/camera in the shadow
of the Lunar Module during 1972’s Apollo
16 mission.
Space Age Publishing Company is excited
about the new committee and looks
forward to educating the public about the
tremendous as-of-yet unutilized advantages
of lunar astronomy. Anyone with questions
or desiring more information about this exciting
aspect of humanity’s renewed lunar
exploration efforts should feel free to contact
SPC at any time.

Photo: International Lunar Observatory.
Picture courtesy of Space Age Publishing.