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SMART-1 leaves Earth on a long journey to the Moon

28 September 2003

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The European Space Agency’s SMART-1 was one of three payloads on Ariane Flight 162. The generic Ariane-5 lifted off from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe’s spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, at 2014 hrs local time (2314 hrs GMT) on 27 September (01:14 Central European Summer time on 28 September).

Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace - Service optique CSG

By ion drive to the Moon

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Artist's impression of SMART-1 ion engine

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How an ion engine works. Electrons attracted into the discharge chamber collide with xenon atoms from the propellant gas supply, making charged atoms (ions). Current-carrying coils, inside and outside the doughnut-shaped discharge chamber, sustain a magnetic field oriented like the spokes of a wheel. By the Hall effect, ions and electrons swerving in opposite directions in the magnetic field create an electric field. This expels the xenon ions in a propulsive jet. Other emitted electrons then neutralise the xenon, producing the blue jet.

SMART-1 is the first of ESA’s Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology. It will head for the Moon using solar-electric propulsion and carrying a battery of miniaturised instruments.

Credits: Illustration by AOES Medialab, ESA 2002

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Ariane 5G Flight 162 shortly before launch on the night of 27 September 2003, with SMART-1 and two fellow passengers on board

Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace - Service optique CSG

Digging for the Moon’s remaining secrets

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How three remote-sensing instruments on SMART-1 will scan the Moon's surface during one pass. Repeated passes will gradually fill in the picture.

Credits: ESA 2002. Illustration by Medialab.

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