SFL Missions is a member of the team led by Prime Contractor NUVIEW GmbH selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to conduct the Moonraker Phase A study. SFL Missions is the spacecraft team member responsible for developing the small satellite platform that will host the laser scanning (LiDAR) payload. SFL is also performing mission analysis and planning for launch and operations of the Moonraker spacecraft. Following completion of a successful Pre-Phase A study in 2025, ESA selected the Moonraker mission to advance into Phase A. During this phase, the Moonraker team will further mature the mission concept, refine system requirements, and assess technical and programmatic feasibility.

“As part of the Pre-Phase A work, the Moonraker team developed a robust mission concept for lunar LiDAR mapping,” said SFL Missions’ Director Dr. Robert E. Zee. “This work included development of a preliminary spacecraft concept based on SFL’s DAUNTLESS-L platform. We see tremendous potential for Moonraker to contribute to lunar science, exploration, and future surface operations." 

The goal of the Moonraker mission is to generate wide-area 3D maps of the Moon’s polar regions to aid in landing site selection and surface characterization, as well as high resolution terrain models to help de-risk future landing sites. This could support future missions targeting the lunar South Pole, where accurate terrain information is essential for landing site evaluation and surface operations planning.

Moonraker consists of a single orbiter operating in a low-altitude polar orbit around the Moon. The orbiter is a high-performance small satellite that will provide significant power generation and storage to support the demanding LiDAR payload. It will support precision navigation and payload pointing to enable high resolution mapping, and will enable high data rate downlink of payload data back to Earth. SFL Missions is responsible for completing the preliminary spacecraft analysis and supporting mission design during Phase A. Key technical challenges being addressed include the large delta-V capacity for orbit insertion and maintenance, the precision navigation requirements, managing the high payload data volume, and operating within a demanding thermal environment.

Following completion of the Phase A study, SFL Missions is positioned to develop the detailed spacecraft design, complete spacecraft manufacturing and payload integration, and conduct system-level environmental testing. SFL Missions’ role will continue with support of launch coordination and on-orbit commissioning.

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