Britain could launch its own mission to the Moon by 2010 under plans outlined yesterday by leading space scientists.

Two missions aimed at answering questions about how life began and the history of the universe are being considered by the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), which funds Britain’s space research.

Both are regarded as important stepping stones to reaching Mars and Jupiter because they would test technology required for future missions farther from Earth.

One of the unmanned missions, called MoonRaker, would see a spacecraft land on the Moon to analyse dust and rocks in greater detail than before and search for evidence of water and organic traces. If successful it would mark the first soft landing by a European spacecraft and would provide unrivalled data on the age of different layers of the Moon.

The other, MoonLITE, would see an orbiting craft fire four projectiles at the Moon to plunge into the surface. At least one probe would be sent to a pole and another to the equator. One or more would hit the dark side of the Moon.

Seismic and temperature readings from the probes would measure the geological activity of the Moon and assess the make-up of its surface up to 2m (6ft 6in) deep.

Each of the darts would weigh about 13.5kg (30lb) and, using military technology to protect the electronics, would survive an impact of 300m per second. Such probes are seen as having huge potential for exploring Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, which is covered in ice and may have liquid oceans. The Moon mission would be a test run.

The Moon is the most easily accessible extra-terrestrial body and is considered to have clues to the creation of Earth and the solar system preserved on and beneath its surface.

Among the material scientists would hope to uncover is traces of organic material from meteorites that could support the theory that life started on Earth after being “seeded” by an asteroid strike. Samples taken from the poles could establish if, as some scientists believe, there is ice on the Moon. The make-up of the ice could show if water was carried to Earth by asteroids or comets.

Scientists involved in the project believe it is conceivable that remains of early Earth could be found on the Moon having been blasted there in a collision with an asteroid.

John Zarnecki, of the Open University’s Planetary and Space Science Research Institute and a council member at PPARC, said that the Moon contained information waiting to be dug up.

Speaking as the Moon mission proposals were announced in London yesterday, Professor Zarnecki said: “It’s become quite clear in recent years that the Moon is perhaps unique in that it preserves a record of what was going on in the early years of the solar system.

“There’s even the possibility that one might even find some fossil traces of primitive Earth on the Moon. There are probably trapped samples of the Earth’s early atmosphere, which is very different from the way it is now.”

Andrew Coates, from University College London, said at a briefing in London: “Finding organic molecules would be a big discovery, because there’s no way life could have developed on the Moon. We know that comets played a big role in bringing water to the Earth, and they may have brought carbon compounds as well. Finding organic molecules on the Moon could give us clues about the origin of life on Earth.”

Each mission is predicted to cost £50 million to £100million and, if they are approved, would be funded by a mix of government money and commercial investment.

Scientists would like the project to be a solely British endeavour but accept that it is almost certain to end up as a joint venture with other nations, especially as an international launcher would be needed. Of the two Moon missions, MoonLITE is most likely to get approval as most of the technology required is available in Britain.

A consortium of scientists and engineers from universities and industry presented the plans at a two-day space exploration workshop in Edinburgh. The proposals will be put before the European Space Agency’s ruling council.

671 mph

Speed at which the darts would hit Moon’s surface
Source: PPARC

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Should Knox’s trial even have reached the courtroom?
• All that glitters is not sold in Wright’s world
• Believe it or not, Big Brother is your friend