Europe reaches the Moon

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ESA Portal - Europe reaches the Moon

5 November 2004
ESA PR 59-2004. During the night of 15 to 16 November, ESA’s SMART-1 will reach the first of its closest approaches to the Moon after a 13-month journey. Then the spacecraft will begin adjusting its orbit around the Moon in preparation for a scientific investigation of its surface, starting in January.

During the long cruise, consisting of a spiralling orbit around the Earth that brought the spacecraft close to the lunar capture point, SMART-1 achieved all the technology demonstration goals of the first part of the mission.
The exciting final manoeuvres to enter a stable lunar orbit, the challenges of the journey and the results of the SMART-1 technology tests paving the way for future interplanetary missions, will be presented at a press conference on 16 November at ESA/ESOC in Darmstadt (Germany), starting at 08h00.

ESA Portal - Europe reaches the Moon