Working Groups

Working Group 1
Working Group 2: Communications
Working Group 3
Working Group 4

The Science Definition Team for the ILN Anchor Nodes has released its 2009 report. A pdf version is available here.

THE INTERNATIONAL LUNAR NETWORK. B. A. Cohen, the ILN Science Definition Team, and the MSFC/APL ILN Engineering Team, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville AL 35812 (Barbara.A.Cohen@nasa.gov).

Introduction: A new lunar science flight projects line has been introduced within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate’s (SMD’s) proposed 2009 budget, including two new robotic missions designed to accomplish key scientific objectives and, when possible, provide results useful to the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) and the Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) as those organizations grapple with the challenges of returning humans to the Moon. The first mission in this line will be the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, an ESMD mission that will acquire key information for human return to the moon activities, which will transition after one year of operations to the SMD Lunar Science Program for a 2-year nominal science mission. The second mission, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) will be launch in 2011 along with the GRAIL Discovery mission to the moon. The third is delivery of two landed payloads as part of the International Lunar Network (ILN). This flight projects line provides a robust robotic lunar science program for the next 8 years and beyond, complements SMD’s initiatives to build a robust lunar science community through R&A lines, and increases international participation in NASA’s robotic exploration plans.