Planetary science

SMART-1

Completed

Image: ESA · CC BY-SA 3.0 igo · Wikimedia Commons

Launched: 27 Sept 200323:14:46 UTC
Last contact: 3 Sept 200605:42:22 UTC
End declared: 3 Sept 2006
Duration: 2 years 11 months
Destinations: Moon

ESA's first mission to the Moon, built to test solar-electric propulsion. It spiralled out from Earth orbit over 13 months and then mapped the lunar surface.

Milestones

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200420052006

Spacecraft

SMART-1

Orbiter

Completed

Small orbiter driven by a Hall-effect ion thruster fed with xenon.

Launch mass: 370 kg
Dry mass: 255 kg
Size: 1.2 m × 1.2 m, span 14 m
Power: Solar
Built by: Swedish Space Corporation, Saab Ericsson Space
Last contact: 3 Sept 2006, 05:42:22 UTC
End declared: 3 Sept 2006
Designator: 2003-043C

Mission details from nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov.