Moon lander SELENE-2 is planed as a follow-on mission of KAGUYA(SELENE). The spacecraft is to be launched in the middle of 2010's.

When and how the moon was formed? How the moon has evolved? What is the present state of the moon? Its origin and evolution on the moon are still full of mystery and expected to be elucidated. KAGUYA. spacecraft which was launched in September, 2007 revealed some of the mysteries by its detail remote-sensing observation. The next step of lunar observation needs landing on the surface and investigating the interior of the moon in detail. How is under the surface covered with sand called as “regolith”? How is the inside of the rocks? How is the interior structure of the moon? SELENE-2 lands on the moon and investigates the surface, the rocks, and the sub-surface of the moon with a mobile robot (rover). Some cliffs show the stratum. Removing regolith reveals identity of minerals. Observation of the interior structure analyzing Moon quake waveform is also planned. Those surface information combined with KAGUYA’s observation data will solve many mysteries of the moon.

Presently, an international lunar outpost is considered to be constructed, where astronauts stay over the long period. In future, the backside of the moon will be used as astronomical observatories. How is radiation environment on the moon? How lunar surface dust affects machines and human body? How we should prevent from and remove dust? Is the moon surface suitable for constructing buildings? Are there any natural resources such as water or construction material? Those researches should be performed before large scale exploration.

Development and validation of those sophisticated lunar exploration technologies are also important. Japan has never performed lunar soft-landing (*1) nor explored on the surface. Those technologies are essential for not only moon but also mars or other planets exploration. High-precision autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technologies developed for SELENE-2 are very advanced in the world. The moon rotates once a four weeks. Two weeks day and two weeks night alternately continue. The development of batteries to survive long night when solar power can not be used, keep warm against 70K night, and heat radiation while 390K day are technology frontiers. Observation instruments with remarkably high performance compared with Apollo era are also developed. Japan should join and contribute to international lunar exploration with those technologies,when an international lunar outpost is constructed in the future.

(*1) Hiten and KAGUYA hard-landed on the moon in 1993 and 2009, respectively. HAYABUSA landed on and departed from the asteroid ITOKAWA in 2005. However, soft-landing on the body like moon will be the first challenge for Japan.

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