SER3NE - A small orbiter mission to the Moon

Selene’s Explorer for Roughness, Regolith, Resources, Neutrons and Elements (SER3NE) is a small satellite mission performing gamma-ray and neutron spectroscopy (University of Oslo), near-infrared spectroscopy (Royal Observatory of Belgium and Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy) , and laser altimetry, roughness, and albedo observations (Institute for Planetary Reserch - DLR) at unprecedented spectral and ground resolution. The aim is to characterize the lunar surface to unravel its volatile origin and delivery processes, to uncover the geological processes that shaped the Moon, to prospect lunar resources for ISRU at future landing sites, to determine the exact neutron lifetime and the orbital evolution of the Earth-Moon system.
The instruments will be carried by the modular, single-failure tolerant TUBiX20 satellite platform (Technical University of Berlin). To ensure the desired global coverage and resolution for all instruments the satellite will orbit the Moon on a eccentric polar orbit with a slowly, naturally drifting argument of perilune over the mission lifetime of one year. This mission concept is a pre-Phase A Study led by University of Oslo under an ESA contract.