Exploring the Moon

Valery Aksamentov, Vice-President for Engineering, International Space
Enterprises, explains how a new partnership is opening the way for a
cheap return to the moon.

Twenty-five years have passed since the first expedition to the Moon. 
It is our nearest planet and our first step to a future planetary
science such as planetary geology, astronomy, lunar soil sampling, as
well as technology development and demonstration for future planetary
expeditions.

The major hold-back for space exploration at this moment is the cost
associated with it. In 1992, efforts to try and resolve this problem
using innovative business techniques led to the founding of
International Space Enterprises (ISE) as a U.S. corporation.  The ISE
charter is to develop and conduct commercial international space
science and exploration projects which will reduce costs, stimulate
business investment, and improve U.S. international relations.

The company's primary purpose is to conduct privately financed robotic
science and exploration programs that are priced low enough to attract
diverse international markets. This was to be accomplished through a
profit-sharing venture with Russian partners. In May of 1993 the ISE
team went to Russia and signed an agreement with the Lavochkin
Association (LA), the Russian company which designed, developed and
operated almost all Russian robotic space exploration craft (for the
Moon, Venus and Mars). Among LA achievements are landing on the moon,
delivery and operation of lunar rovers (Lunohod 1 and Lunohod 2), and
sample return (Luna 16 and Luna 24).

This agreement was signed in order to establish a joint venture, ISELA
to provide a series of unmanned missions to the Moon through a private
international joint venture initiative. It will include landing
missions to deploy telescopes, lunar rovers, and various experimental
equipment on the surface of the Moon. The second agreement was signed
to provide Proton rockets for launching, with Khrunichev Enterprises
as a joint stock company partner. This will allow the use of proven
space systems which will reduce the cost, minimize technical risk, and
shorten schedules.

The idea is to develop an international market based on current
government organizations, research institutions, schools and private
companies. Markets include the traditional such as the science market,
as well as non-traditional : education and entertainment - advanced
high resolution images from television cameras mounted in ISELA
landers and rovers will transmit live and recorded data into
classrooms for education and research.

To stimulate science education there is a plan to have a program
enabling students to remotely control rovers on the Moon and to
interactively participate in lunar missions. The entertainment market
is rather broad, from dramatic views of ISELA launches, landings, and
other mission events on TV and videocassettes, through the ability to
see in three dimensions nearly as exactly as an astronaut walking on
the surface of the Moon or cruising on a lunar rover. This can be done
by taking advantage of emerging technologies such as virtual reality. 
Combining such a broad market together with the time sharing approach
for the scientific instruments using 'off the shelf' hardware will
allow cost reductions to individual scientists and organizations
participating in space exploration.

For the past year ISE and LA have been working on the design of the
ISELA-600 lander which has the capability to deliver to the surface of
the Moon 600kg of net payload. It will be developed on the basis of
the PHOBOS spacecraft from existing parts. The project cost is
$125,000 per kg of payload to the surface of the Moon. Using the
russian Mars rover; ISE, LA, the University of Arizona and Rockwell
International successfully conducted an experiment operating the
oxygen extraction plant placed on the Mars rover. The mission control
was in California and the Mars rover with the oxygen plant was in
Moscow.  This proves once more that everything that is planned can be
achieved using existing technologies.

One of the existing scientific opportunities is lunar-based astronomy. 
Outside the Earth's atmosphere, on a solid base without seismic
activity and with a slow rotation allowing for long, continuous
observation of objects, the moon will allow astronomers unparalleled
views of the Universe. At this moment ISE is working with NASA under
an innovative research contract to develop, deploy and operate the
Pathfinder Commercial Lunar Telescope.

The Department of Energy awarded a contract to ISE to evaluate
possible power sources for commercial application on the lunar
surface. Recently, ISE hosted the International Lunar Exploration
Conference, which was considered a success.

All of this, as well as work with governmental and non-governmental
organizations and other potential customers, promises that such a
commercial space initiative will come to pass.

(snarfed from "http://twentyone-11.org/2111/tranq1.html")