SELENE system proto-flight test starts

The SELENE team has been carrying out a satellite system proto-flight test since February 2005 at the Spacecraft Integration and Test Building (SIT). Currently, electric functions are being tested as installation of the onboard equipment onto the satellite structure panels progresses. After completing all onboard equipment installations, JAXA will move onto a satellite integration test.

System proto-flight testing. The onboard equipment is being installed by opening the structure panels. The black boxes are the equipment, and the silver shielded strings are harnesses for transmitting electric signals between equipment. Image credit: JAXA

Mission equipment (the antenna part of the Moon Radar Sounder). This is the antenna part of the observation equipment for the moon surface structure. The protruded part on the right hand side is deployed to be a 15-meter antenna in length. The SELENE is equipped with four antennas to form a cross dipole antenna. Image credit: JAXA

Mission equipment (High Definition Television Camera) This is a high definition television camera developed by NHK to be loaded onto the SELENE. It is expected to capture an image of the Earth observed from the moon's surface. Image credit: JAXA

The SELenological and ENgineering Explorer "SELENE", Japan’s first large lunar explorer.

The major objectives of the mission are to understand the Moon’s origin and evolution, and to observe the moon in various ways in order to utilize it in the future. The lunar missions that have been conducted so far have gathered a large amount of information on the Moon, but the mysteries of its origin and evolution have been left unsolved.

SELENE will investigate the entire moon in order to obtain information on its elemental and mineralogical composition, its geography, its surface and sub-surface structure, the remnant of its magnetic field, and its gravity field. The results are expected to lead to a better overall understanding of the Moon’s evolution. At the same time, the observation equipment installed on the orbiting satellite will observe plasma, the electromagnetic field and high-energy particles. The data obtained in this way will be of great scientific importance for exploring the possibility of using the moon for human endeavors.

JAXA