Moonraker

An artist impression of Moonraker in lunar orbit.

Landing safely on the Moon requires precise knowledge of the landscape below. Moonraker is an orbital mission proposed by German company NUVIEW that will use laser measurements to build detailed three-dimensional maps of the lunar poles. Unlike Máni, which relies on imagery, Moonraker will directly measure the shape of the lunar terrain using LiDAR technology. This approach could allow it to investigate permanently shadowed regions that may contain water ice, where cameras are limited by the absence of sunlight.

Moonraker is one of four candidate missions that are part of ESA's Moon Explore initiative. By accepting a higher level of risk in exchange for lower cost and faster development, the initiative aims to deliver valuable missions to the Moon within just a few years while helping European teams develop new capabilities for future exploration.