World’s first-ever Moon’s South Pole mission in 2016

In a first of its kind, two private companies plan to put a telescope called International Lunar Observatory (ILO) atop a lunar mountain as early as 2016, with an aim to help the humankind understand the astrophysics better.  The plan, which is being spearheaded by the International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA), a non-profit organisation and a start-up called Moon Express, will be the world’s first-ever mission to the moon’s south pole. If all goes well with the plan, it will enable public to access the images from the moon online. 

The companies plan on installing a two-metre radio antenna along with a smaller optical telescope on the elevated rim of a crater called Malapert. From this point, both telescopes will get a clear view of our galaxy and won’t be subjected to our atmosphere’s hazy interference. The location will also not pick up any radio or electromagnetic noise created by human civilisation.  Moon Express CEO Dr. Robert Richards said: “The mission will provide a historic landing in an unexplored region of the Moon that may harbor some of the greatest resource deposits in the solar system.”  The project if carried out successfully, International Lunar Observatory (ILO) will be the first private space telescope to operate from the lunar surface where it will be available through internet to researchers, educators and general public.  It is hoped that the images taken by the observatory would be clearer than anything taken on earth or even in space, creating a new model of 'citizen science'.  The mission would cost the companies somewhere around $100 million, where it hopes to get some fund from the national space agencies and astronomical centres.   the ILOA has set its sights on building a scientific and commercial base on the moon, while Moon Express wants to become a space courier service in the next 10 years. The location also has the observational benefit of not picking up any radio or electromagnetic noise created by modern technology. The idea to place a telescope on the moon is not new. Astronomers have long thought about putting telescopes on the dark side of the moon that always faces away from Earth. It is hoped that pictures captured by such instruments would be clearer than anything taken on Earth or even in space.  But telescopes in the location would depend upon satellite relays, which would be expensive. The beauty of locating telescopes on the Moon's south pole, however, is that the telescopes would have a 'direct line to Earth,' Steve Durst, founder and director of ILOA told Wired.com. The spot on the Malpert crater also has the benefit of a slightly milder climate than the dark side of the moon. One 'day' on the moon lasts for the equivalent of an Earth month.  It has two weeks of temperatures of over 120 degrees followed by chilling 'nights' that last for another two weeks when the temperature drops to minus 170 degrees. This means engineering scientific instruments would need to be able to withstand the extreme climate and this has so far proved challenging. However, as the telescopes would be situated at the south pole, they would enjoy sunlight for 90 per cent of the moon's day and consequently a relatively stable temperature of approximately minus 50 degrees Celsius. Solar panels could therefore be used to collect energy and power the telescope, according to Mr Durst. Due to the more consistent temperature and sunlight, he believes the lunar poles are the best locations for any future human settlement on the moon. The south pole of the moon is popularly thought to be rich with resources.

Moon Express, which intends to provide the lander and engineering expertise for the telescope, has ambitions to mine metals, minerals and water on the moon. The company believes resources could be sold to humans on Earth, while the water would be needed by astronauts living on a lunar base nearby. Bob Richards, the company’s CEO, told Wired.com that during the mission, he plans on sending a small rover to explore the surface of the site. The mission, planned as soon as 2016, is ambitious as the south pole of the moon has never been explored before. Mr Richards conceded that due to the amount of finance needed - around $100 million - and pioneering engineering necessary for the mission, the schedule is tight.  However, he hopes that national and international space agencies will help to pay for the mission and that it will take place by 2018. Moon Express has not landed a probe on the moon's surface yet but aspires to land on the moon in 2015 to scoop the $20 million Google Lunar X Prize. The company is planning a mini mission to the moon to instal a shoebox-sized telescope with the aim of testing ILOA's technology on the lunar landscape. The ILO, with its 2-meter dish antenna, will be the world's first instrument to conduct international astrophysical observations and communications from the lunar surface, providing scientific research, commercial broadcasting and enabling Galaxy 21st Century education and "citizen science" on the Moon.  The announcement was made during a NASA Lunar Science Institute conference at Nasa Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California.