The British Interplanetary Society is pleased to support the ambition of The Shackleton Rover Expedition, a proposed UK-led expedition to the lunar south pole.
Shackleton plans to send a small rover into the lunar south polar region and use ultrasonic terrain-penetration technology to investigate the water ice known to exist there. The expedition aims to establish new ground truth concerning the form, depth and distribution of this ice, while demonstrating technologies relevant to future exploration.
The project follows a long tradition of ambitious thinking about lunar exploration within the British Interplanetary Society. Since 1933, the Society has examined how people and machines might reach, explore and ultimately make use of the Moon.
BIS President Colin Philp said:
The lunar south pole is one of the most important destinations in space exploration, and understanding its water ice will be important both scientifically and for the future exploration of the Moon and beyond. It is particularly encouraging to see a UK-led team asking what might be achieved with a small rover and a distinctive technology. We would be delighted to see Shackleton develop into a mission capable of carrying UK science and engineering to the lunar surface.
Shackleton project lead Patrick Harkness said:
Britain has a long history of achieving rather more than its resources might suggest, through ingenuity, economy and a willingness to attempt difficult things. If we can send a small machine to a difficult place, discover something important, and show that an ambitious idea can still be turned into reality, we will have demonstrated that the sky is not even the limit on what we can achieve.
🌕 Lunar south pole
🔬 Subsurface water-ice investigation
🇬🇧 UK-led science and engineering
🚀 Targeting launch around the end of the decade
Find out more: www.shackletonrover.co.uk