Britain Plans Robotic Moon Missions

LONDON — British space scientists say the United Kingdom’s first robotic missions to the moon might launch within the next few years.

One mission, dubbed "MoonRaker," would involve a small propulsive lander to provide in-situ geological dating. The other mission — called "MoonLITE" — would involve an orbiting instrument that would release instrumented probes to penetrate the lunar surface.

University College London Professor Alan Smith told BBC Radio: "The idea is that by about 2010 we will launch four scientific high-impact probes. They will land on the moon at speeds of up to 700 mph. They will make various scientific measurements sampling various parts of the moon."

Andrew Coates of the university’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory added: "Previous missions have focused on the side of the moon that faces the Earth. Our plan with the four MoonLITE penetrators is to explore the mysterious far side of the moon, as well as the polar and equatorial regions on the near side."

The space scientists said MoonRAKER might then attempt a soft-landing to seek suitable sites for eventual human habitation, as part of NASA’s plans to begin establishing a moon base by 2020.