OZ9LUNA | AMSAT-UK

Original design of the Euroluna Romit-3 Lunar Rover – Image courtesy of Andrew Collis/X-Prize Foundation

The President of Euroluna Palle Haastrup OZ1HIA gives an update on the Romit1 CubeSat and plans for Romit2 and Romit3.

Euroluna are a Danish amateur team participating in the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE contest to be the first privately funded team to land and drive a rover on the Moon.

Romit1 is a 2U CubeSat that is planned to launch on the Interorbital Systems Neptune 9 rocket. It will transmit on 437.505 MHz at 1200 bps.

If everything goes well it should, after a year, be out in a 700 km orbit, having started in a 310 km orbit.

Romit1 – Image Credit GomSpace ApS

When the rocket reaches its orbital altitude, the satellite is deployed using a spring-loaded device. Romit1 then powers up and conducts a systems test. The satellite must stabilize itself so that it has the right orientation (with the propulsion system pointing aft). The spacecraft will immediately start its engine so that it can begin its journey to a higher altitude, away from any traces of atmosphere that would produce drag, slow it down, and shorten its orbital lifespan.

It is hoped that radio amateurs across the world will assist the team in retrieving the data sent down, for example, they can gather images from the six cameras. Radio amateurs can send the pixels they receive to Euroluna who will assemble them into a full image.

The group are currently looking for a launch opportunity for Romit2 as well as Romit3 that is planned to reach the Moon.

A list of the current CubeSat launch opportunities under consideration can be seen on the teams Google Lunar X PRIZE blog at http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/teams/euroluna/blog/low-cost-launches-low-earth-orbit

Watch romit2-parts-delivered.wmv