HERACLES (Human-Enhanced Robotic Architecture and Capability for Lunar Exploration and Science) is a planned robotic transport system to and from the Moon by Europe (ESA), Japan (JAXA) and Canada (CSA) that will feature a lander called the European Large Logistic Lander (EL3, or Argonaut), a Lunar Ascent Element, and a rover.[2] The lander can be configured for different operations such as up to 1.5 tons of cargo delivery,[3]sample-returns, or prospecting resources found on the Moon.[4]
Human-Enhanced Robotic Architecture and Capability for Lunar Exploration and Science (HERACLES)
The HERACLES architecture was outlined by 2015.[5] ESA approved the HERACLES project in November 2019.[3][6][7] Its first mission is expected to launch in 2030.[8] The project will be the next phase of ESA's European Exploration Envelope Programme (E3P).[9]
The HERACLES transport system will leverage the Lunar Gateway as a staging point.[10] The architecture involves dispatching the EL3 lunar lander from Earth aboard an Ariane 64[11]: slides 7, 9 and 10 [12][2] which would land on the Moon with a disposable descent module.
The EL3 lander will have a landing mass of approximately 1,800 kg (4,000 lb)[13] and will be capable of transporting a Canadian robotic rover to explore, prospect potential resources, and load samples up to 15 kg (33 lb) on the ascent module.[14] The rover would then traverse several kilometers across the Schrödinger basin on the far side of the Moon to explore and collect more samples to load on the next EL3 lander.[15][13] The ascent module would return each time to the Lunar Gateway, where it would be captured by the Canadian robotic arm and samples transferred to an Orion spacecraft for transport to Earth with the returning astronauts.[16] The ascent module would then be refueled and paired with a new descent module dispatched from Earth.
The second and third landings would each have 500 kg (1,100 lb) payload available for alternate uses such as testing new hardware, demonstrating technology and gaining experience in operations. The 4th or 5th lander mission will provide a sample return.[13]
The project will require the development of a reusable lunar ascent engine, four of which could be clustered to power a reusable crewed or robotic lander in the future. Later missions will include a pressurised rover driven by astronauts and an ascent module for the crew to return to Earth.[13][16]
Preparing for human lunar missions by implementing, demonstrating, and certifying technology elements for human lunar landing, surface operations, and return.
Create opportunities for science, particularly sample return.
Gain scientific and exploration knowledge, particularly on potential resources.
Create opportunities to demonstrate and test technologies and operational procedures for future Mars missions.
System elements
The HERACLES EL3 lander concept will consist of the Lunar Descent Element (LDE), which will be provided by Japan's JAXA,[1] the ESA-built Interface Element that will house the rover, and the European Lunar Ascent Element (LAE) that will return the samples to the Lunar Gateway.[14]
The rover, to be developed by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), will have a mass of 330 kg (730 lb) and will feature a "radioisotope power system" that will permit operations during the long and frigid lunar nights.[14] The total spacecraft mass will be ≈8,500 kg (18,700 lb) including fuel, with a payload of ≈1,500 kg (3,300 lb).[1]
330 kg (730 lb) Science instruments: ≈90 kg (200 lb)
Long-duration rover. Range: >100 km (62 mi)
Reusable ascent engine development
Nammo have been awarded a contract to evaluate engine performance requirements and 'find' the best engine design.[17] The engine may be fed by electrically driven pumps, from low pressure propellant tanks, which may enable in-space refueling.[17]
See also
Artemis program – NASA program to return humans to the Moon following the Apollo program
Luna-Glob – Moon exploration programme by the Russian Federal Space Agency
References
^ abcdJAXA’s Lunar Exploration Activities. Hiroshi Sasaki. Director, JAXA Space Exploration Center (JSEC). Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. 17 June 2019; 62nd Session of COPUOS, Vienna.
^ abHelping Heracles EL3 to Survive the Long, Cold, Dark Lunar Nights. Doug Messier, Parabolic Arc. 8 December 2019.
^ abFunding Europe's space ambitions. Jeff Foust, The Space Review. December 2019.
^The Heracles European Large Logistic Lander. ESA. Accessed on 10 December 2019.
^ abHERACLES Concept – An International Lunar Exploration Architecture Study. M. Landgraf, J. Carpenter, and H. Sawada. ESA / JAXA. 2015. (Outdated estimated mass but remains representative).
^Hera mission is approved as ESA receives biggest ever budget. Kerry Hebden, Room'. 29 November 2019.
^Foust, Jeff (28 November 2019). "ESA declares success at ministerial meeting". SpaceNews. from the original on 13 April 2022.
^Foust, Jeff (21 October 2022). "ESA finalizes package for ministerial". SpaceNews. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
^JAXA & ESA to study feasibility of lunar demonstration mission 'Heracles'. Deyana Goh, Space Tech. 12 March 2018.
^"Landing on the Moon and returning home: Heracles". ESA. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
^Landgraf, Markus (25 May 2016). "HERACLES: Preparing Human Exploration by Integrated Certification of Crew and Hardware for Lunar Surface Operations" (PDF). SpaceRef. ESA. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
^Europe keen to demonstrate Moon ambitions. Jonathan Amos, BBC News. 22 November 2019.
^ abcdLanding on the Moon and returning home: Heracles. ESA. Accessed on 10 December 2019.
^ abcdeHERACLES: An ESA-JAXA-CSA Joint Study on Returning to the Moon. H. Hiesinger, M. Landgraf, W. Carey, Y. Karouji, T. Haltigin, G. Osinski, U. Mall, K. Hashizume, HERACLES Science Working Group, HERACLES International Science Definition Team. 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2019 (LPI Contrib. No. 2132)
^Landgraf, Markus; Carpenter, James; Sawada, Hirotaka (20–22 October 2015). HERACLES Concept - An International Lunar Exploration Study(PDF). Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (2015). Bibcode:2015LPICo1863.2039L. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
^ abLunar Robotic Mission Heracles Will Scout for Human Landings. Elizabeth Howell, Space. 28 June 2019.
^ ab"Developing a high-performance rocket motor for the Heracles mission to the Moon". www.esa.int.
External links
Short video of the HERACLES transport system at YouTube.
December 30, 2022
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HERACLES Human Enhanced Robotic Architecture and Capability for Lunar Exploration and Science is a planned robotic transport system to and from the Moon by Europe ESA Japan JAXA and Canada CSA that will feature a lander called the European Large Logistic Lander EL3 or Argonaut a Lunar Ascent Element and a rover 2 The lander can be configured for different operations such as up to 1 5 tons of cargo delivery 3 sample returns or prospecting resources found on the Moon 4 Human Enhanced Robotic Architecture and Capability for Lunar Exploration and Science HERACLES DesignerESA JAXA CSAOperatorESA JAXA CSAApplicationsLunar exploration sample returnWebsiteArgonaut European Large Logistics LanderSpecificationsSpacecraft typeRobotic lander rover sample returnLaunch mass 8 500 kg 18 700 lb 1 Payload capacity 1 500 kg 3 300 lb 1 CapacityPayload to to ProductionStatusIn developmentThe system is planned to support the Artemis program and perform lunar exploration using the Lunar Gateway space station as a staging point Contents 1 Project overview 1 1 Key objectives 2 System elements 3 Reusable ascent engine development 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksProject overview Edit The first proposed landing site is within the Schrodinger crater located near the south pole on the far side of the Moon The HERACLES architecture was outlined by 2015 5 ESA approved the HERACLES project in November 2019 3 6 7 Its first mission is expected to launch in 2030 8 The project will be the next phase of ESA s European Exploration Envelope Programme E3P 9 The HERACLES transport system will leverage the Lunar Gateway as a staging point 10 The architecture involves dispatching the EL3 lunar lander from Earth aboard an Ariane 64 11 slides 7 9 and 10 12 2 which would land on the Moon with a disposable descent module The EL3 lander will have a landing mass of approximately 1 800 kg 4 000 lb 13 and will be capable of transporting a Canadian robotic rover to explore prospect potential resources and load samples up to 15 kg 33 lb on the ascent module 14 The rover would then traverse several kilometers across the Schrodinger basin on the far side of the Moon to explore and collect more samples to load on the next EL3 lander 15 13 The ascent module would return each time to the Lunar Gateway where it would be captured by the Canadian robotic arm and samples transferred to an Orion spacecraft for transport to Earth with the returning astronauts 16 The ascent module would then be refueled and paired with a new descent module dispatched from Earth The second and third landings would each have 500 kg 1 100 lb payload available for alternate uses such as testing new hardware demonstrating technology and gaining experience in operations The 4th or 5th lander mission will provide a sample return 13 The project will require the development of a reusable lunar ascent engine four of which could be clustered to power a reusable crewed or robotic lander in the future Later missions will include a pressurised rover driven by astronauts and an ascent module for the crew to return to Earth 13 16 Key objectives Edit The key objectives of HERACLES include 14 Preparing for human lunar missions by implementing demonstrating and certifying technology elements for human lunar landing surface operations and return Create opportunities for science particularly sample return Gain scientific and exploration knowledge particularly on potential resources Create opportunities to demonstrate and test technologies and operational procedures for future Mars missions System elements EditThe HERACLES EL3 lander concept will consist of the Lunar Descent Element LDE which will be provided by Japan s JAXA 1 the ESA built Interface Element that will house the rover and the European Lunar Ascent Element LAE that will return the samples to the Lunar Gateway 14 The rover to be developed by the Canadian Space Agency CSA will have a mass of 330 kg 730 lb and will feature a radioisotope power system that will permit operations during the long and frigid lunar nights 14 The total spacecraft mass will be 8 500 kg 18 700 lb including fuel with a payload of 1 500 kg 3 300 lb 1 HERACLES elements Agency Mass 14 5 NotesLunar Ascent Element LAE ESA 110 kg 240 lb Launch samples from the Moon to the Lunar Gateway Interface Element ESA 100 kg 220 lb Hosts rover and its deployment rampsLunar Descent Element LDE JAXA Powered soft landing of 1 500 kg payload including all elements and rover Rover CSA 330 kg 730 lb Science instruments 90 kg 200 lb Long duration rover Range gt 100 km 62 mi Reusable ascent engine development EditNammo have been awarded a contract to evaluate engine performance requirements and find the best engine design 17 The engine may be fed by electrically driven pumps from low pressure propellant tanks which may enable in space refueling 17 See also EditArtemis program NASA program to return humans to the Moon following the Apollo program Commercial Lunar Payload Services NASA program contracting commercial transportation services to the Moon Chandrayaan programme India s Space programs aimed at Moon Chinese Lunar Exploration Program Chinese lunar research program 2004 present Luna Glob Moon exploration programme by the Russian Federal Space AgencyReferences Edit a b c d JAXA s Lunar Exploration Activities Hiroshi Sasaki Director JAXA Space Exploration Center JSEC Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 17 June 2019 62nd Session of COPUOS Vienna a b Helping Heracles EL3 to Survive the Long Cold Dark Lunar Nights Doug Messier Parabolic Arc 8 December 2019 a b Funding Europe s space ambitions Jeff Foust The Space Review December 2019 The Heracles European Large Logistic Lander ESA Accessed on 10 December 2019 a b HERACLES Concept An International Lunar Exploration Architecture Study M Landgraf J Carpenter and H Sawada ESA JAXA 2015 Outdated estimated mass but remains representative Hera mission is approved as ESA receives biggest ever budget Kerry Hebden Room 29 November 2019 Foust Jeff 28 November 2019 ESA declares success at ministerial meeting SpaceNews Archived from the original on 13 April 2022 Foust Jeff 21 October 2022 ESA finalizes package for ministerial SpaceNews Retrieved 18 November 2022 JAXA amp ESA to study feasibility of lunar demonstration mission Heracles Deyana Goh Space Tech 12 March 2018 Landing on the Moon and returning home Heracles ESA 7 June 2019 Retrieved 28 August 2019 Landgraf Markus 25 May 2016 HERACLES Preparing Human Exploration by Integrated Certification of Crew and Hardware for Lunar Surface Operations PDF SpaceRef ESA Retrieved 28 August 2019 Europe keen to demonstrate Moon ambitions Jonathan Amos BBC News 22 November 2019 a b c d Landing on the Moon and returning home Heracles ESA Accessed on 10 December 2019 a b c d e HERACLES An ESA JAXA CSA Joint Study on Returning to the Moon H Hiesinger M Landgraf W Carey Y Karouji T Haltigin G Osinski U Mall K Hashizume HERACLES Science Working Group HERACLES International Science Definition Team 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2019 LPI Contrib No 2132 Landgraf Markus Carpenter James Sawada Hirotaka 20 22 October 2015 HERACLES Concept An International Lunar Exploration Study PDF Lunar Exploration Analysis Group 2015 Bibcode 2015LPICo1863 2039L Retrieved 28 August 2019 a b Lunar Robotic Mission Heracles Will Scout for Human Landings Elizabeth Howell Space 28 June 2019 a b Developing a high performance rocket motor for the Heracles mission to the Moon www esa int External links EditShort video of the HERACLES transport system at YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HERACLES spacecraft amp oldid 1122528178, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
