All 2015 Content
Session
Technical Session V: Year in Review
Abstract
The first privately funded mission to the moon, Manfred Memorial Moon Mission (4M), was developed within six months. The attractive launch opportunity itself and three mission objectives powered the development: 1) to honor and commemorate Prof. Manfred Fuchs the founder of LuxSpace’s parent company OHB, 2) to demonstrate crowd-based navigation for deep space missions, 3) to measure the radiation dose on the way to the moon and back. Following three maxims enabled success of this endeavor: a) low complexity, b) simple documentation and c) reduced launch site operations. This approach requires continuous communication and trust-based relationship between all project partners (customer, governments, launch provider, system integrator, suppliers and the public). The 12 kg spacecraft is attached to the last stage of a Chinese Long March 3C/G2 launcher dedicated for Chang’e 5 T1, a re-entry demonstrator capsule. Housekeeping data, greeting messages and data from the radiation experiment were transmitted at 145.98 MHz. 4M started to hibernate after 438h (100h design lifetime). More than 75 registered radioamateurs from 29 countries supported 4M with a variety of ground stations. The mission increased public awareness in moon exploration, international cooperation, and affordable space missions, which always were central concerns for Prof. Manfred Fuchs.
Manfred Memorial Moon Mission (4M): Development, Operations and Results of a Privately Funded Low Cost Lunar Flyby
The first privately funded mission to the moon, Manfred Memorial Moon Mission (4M), was developed within six months. The attractive launch opportunity itself and three mission objectives powered the development: 1) to honor and commemorate Prof. Manfred Fuchs the founder of LuxSpace’s parent company OHB, 2) to demonstrate crowd-based navigation for deep space missions, 3) to measure the radiation dose on the way to the moon and back. Following three maxims enabled success of this endeavor: a) low complexity, b) simple documentation and c) reduced launch site operations. This approach requires continuous communication and trust-based relationship between all project partners (customer, governments, launch provider, system integrator, suppliers and the public). The 12 kg spacecraft is attached to the last stage of a Chinese Long March 3C/G2 launcher dedicated for Chang’e 5 T1, a re-entry demonstrator capsule. Housekeeping data, greeting messages and data from the radiation experiment were transmitted at 145.98 MHz. 4M started to hibernate after 438h (100h design lifetime). More than 75 registered radioamateurs from 29 countries supported 4M with a variety of ground stations. The mission increased public awareness in moon exploration, international cooperation, and affordable space missions, which always were central concerns for Prof. Manfred Fuchs.
