Deep Space

TOGETHER FOR SUCCESSFULL EXPLORATION

LUMIO

DETECT METEOROID ACTIVITY ON THE MOON

IN-ORBIT DEMONSTRATOR

DEDICATED ALGORITHM TO PROCESS SCIENTIFIC DATA

LUMIO

The heart of the mission is a single 12U CubeSat, equipped with a miniaturized camera operating in the visible and near-infrared spectrum.

Following the ArgoMoon mission, Argotec returns to operating around the Moon, playing a crucial role in the LUMIO (Lunar Meteoroid Impacts Observer) mission. LUMIO is a pioneering ESA initiative for lunar exploration. As the company responsible for developing the LUMIO satellite, Argotec is once again at the forefront of designing and constructing innovative space solutions

[Photo 1] L. Pattanaro et al., “LUMIO, a lunar CubeSat for meteoroid impacts detection”,
2024, Proceedings of Small Satellites & Services International Forum, 2024, p. 8

LUMIO is an ambitious mission aimed at observing and quantifying the flashes caused by meteoroid impacts on the far side of the Moon. Operating from a halo orbit at the Lagrange point L2 in the Earth-Moon system, LUMIO’s CubeSat will complement observations collected from Earth and contribute to creating an accurate model of meteoroid flow in the lunar environment.

The heart of the mission is a single 12U CubeSat, equipped with a miniaturized camera operating in the visible and near-infrared spectrum. Thanks to a high-performance processor, the satellite can scan collected images, select those containing luminous flashes, and transmit only useful data back to Earth. This innovative approach ensures optimal efficiency in data collection operations.

The LUMIO mission team is composed of Politecnico di Milano (Prime), Argotec, Leonardo, IMT, and Nautilus.

Argotec plays a key role in every phase of the mission, from the initial design to the satellite’s development and management of orbital operations. The onboard chemical propulsion will enable the CubeSat to perform the necessary maneuvers to transfer from its initial lunar orbit to the operational orbit and maintain stability throughout the mission.

[Photo 2] Representation of HAWK 6U Platform, Argotec 2019

Thanks to the ESA/GSTP Fly program, Italy holds a leadership position in the LUMIO mission. Argotec, together with prestigious partners such as the Politecnico di Milano (Prime), Leonardo, IMT, and Nautilus, contributes advanced technologies, including the solar array deployment mechanism (µSADA) and the X-band communication transponder (C-DST).

LUMIO represents a significant step towards a deeper understanding of our natural satellite and the phenomena that affect it.

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