Europe takes first step on moon mission

Europe's Ariane-5 rocket carrying a lunar explorer and two satellites takes off from the Kourou space center, French Guiana, on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP

Europe's mission to the moon got off to a smooth start on Saturday with the successful launch of an Ariane rocket from a base in South America that released the European Space Agency's SMART-1 probe toward the lunar surface.

The Ariane-5 rocket lifted off from a launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana at 8:14pm and placed the unmanned spacecraft on its trajectory 41 minutes later, Arianespace said. The rocket also released two satellites into Earth orbit.

"It's very nice that Europe is on its way to the moon," said David Southwood, director of science at Arianespace.

"I still feel that by going to the moon, we are benefiting people on Earth."

The SMART-1, short for "Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology," is off for a long voyage: It's expected to reach the moon by December next year.

The core mission of the probe is to test a new solar-electric propulsion technology. The SMART-1 will rely on energy generated by solar panels used by "ion engines" that provide a thrust of charged particles.

The craft, weighing only 367kg, will also pioneer minute instrumentation to be used to explore the origins of the moon, look for water there and examine the prospect of building a permanent human base on the lunar surface.

While European Space Agency officials say the SMART-1 mission is cost-effective at a price tag of US$126 million -- about a fifth of a typical major science mission.

The SMART-1 was developed for the European Space Agency by the Swedish Space Corporation with contributions from some 30 contractors from 11 European countries and the US.

SMART-1 enter the lunar orbit by December 2004, and a month later will begin a six-month run of experiments. After that, scientists may extend the mission, depending on funding.

The other rocket payload released after the Saturday launch included the Insat-3E, an Indian satellite designed to provide TV broadcasting, and the e-Bird, which is to help provide high-speed Internet service for businesses in Europe.

Arianespace, the commercial arm of the 13-country European Space Agency, launches rockets from its base in Kourou, in French Guiana, on the shoulder of South America.