| Mission type | Exploration of the Moon |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 16U CubeSat |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | NET 2028 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Regime | Polar frozen orbit |
The Lunar Volatile and Mineralogy Mapping Orbiter (VMMO) is a future uncrewed lunar orbiter in the form of a 16U CubeSat, under development by the European Space Agency (ESA). The spacecraft will map the distribution of water ice and ilmenite (FeTiO3) in the lunar South Pole region, as well as monitor the cis-lunar environment. It will carry a multi-wavelength lidar, a radiation monitor, and a GNSS receiver. VMMO is expected to launch in 2028.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
See also
[edit]- List of European Space Agency programmes and missions
- Other European deep space CubeSat missions:
- HENON — launch in 2026, a space weather mission, ESA's first ever stand-alone deep space CubeSat
- M-Argo — launch in 2027, a mission to an asteroid
- LUMIO — launch in 2027, a mission to characterize the impacts of near-Earth meteoroids on the lunar far side
- Satis — launch in 2030, a mission to an asteroid
References
[edit]- ^ "VMMO". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ^ Kulu, Erik. "VMMO". Nanosats Database. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ^ Kruzelecky, Roman (2018). "VMMO Lunar Volatile and Mineralogy Mapping 12U Cubesat". 42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. 42: B3.1–6. Bibcode:2018cosp...42E1854K.
- ^ "CubeSats for hunting secrets in lunar darkness". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ^ "IAC Archive — IAC-19/A3/2B/6". iafastro.directory. Archived from the original on 2025-07-08. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ^ Gao, Yang (2019-08-29). "Building a moon base is a huge task – here are the tiny satellites that will pave the way". The Conversation. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
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Future missions in italics
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