Universe& Planetsuniverseandplanets.com
Back to mission design

Mission Design Challenge

Map the Moon from Orbit

Saved locally on this device
Learning goals
  • Match instruments to the science goals of the challenge.
  • Balance mass, power, cost, risk, and communication throughput.
  • Explain your design tradeoffs in your own words.
Help & glossary
  • Meters update in real time so you can see the impact of each choice.
  • Errors are red; warnings are amber. You can still launch with warnings.
  • Your written explanation stays on this device.

This is an educational mission-design simulation. Scores and simplified engineering values do not represent an approved or operational NASA mission.

1. Briefing2. Platform3. Power4. Comms5. Instruments6. Timeline7. Explanation8. Results

Mission briefing

Design a lunar orbiter that produces a global map of the Moon. You'll balance imaging resolution, altimetry, and mapping speed while staying inside strict mass and cost budgets.

Destination
The Moon (polar orbit)
Mission type
Polar orbiter
Environment
airless, cold-night, sunlit-day

Science goals

  • Produce a high-resolution photographic map.
  • Measure surface elevation and topography.
  • Map polar regions to identify possible water ice.

Sources