LUNAR PENETRATOR PROGRAM - LUNAR-A

The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the center of the research of space and astronautical science in Japan, has success fully developed and launched 16 scientific satellites and 6 engineerin g ones, including 2 interplanetary ones, since 1970 by the Mu series o f launch vehicle. ISAS is now developing its first Lunar Probe named L UNAR-A to be launched in 1997 by M-V launch vehicle, the next generati on of Mu. The mission of LUNAR-A is to land three probes, penetrators, on the lunar surface in order to measure the travelling of the seismi c wave and the heat flux there, which is expected to give some informa tion and understanding of the origin of the Moon; that is, how the Moo n had been formed and evolved. Two of three penetrators is planned to be landed at the equatorial region of the Moon, one at the near side a nd the other at the far side, and one at the border of the near side a nd the far side. The placement above-mentioned form the triangle, whic h is preferable to obtain good data for the travelling of the seismic wave. The present paper shows the outline and the present status of th e development of the LUNAR-A project.