The Artemis satellite is a remarkable spacecraft designed to explore the Moon's south pole. It's a small satellite, weighing only 1,150 kilograms.
Artemis will orbit the Moon at an altitude of about 1,000 kilometers, allowing it to study the lunar surface in detail. Its small size and low orbit will enable it to gather valuable data and images of the Moon's surface.
Artemis will be equipped with a range of scientific instruments, including a laser altimeter and a spectrometer. These instruments will help scientists understand the Moon's composition and geology.
The satellite's mission is expected to last for several years, during which time it will provide scientists with a wealth of information about the Moon.
For another approach, see: Eutelsat 25B/Es'hail 1
Artemis Satellite Components
The Artemis satellite is a complex system with several key components.
The satellite has a payload consisting of several systems, including SILEX, a laser link that can communicate with other satellites and even planes in flight.
Worth a look: Eutelsat 115 West B
SILEX uses a 60 mW AlGaAs laser diode as the transmitter and a photodiode detector, with a 25 cm telescope aperture, and a data rate of 50 Mbit/s.
It weighs about 160 kg and uses 150 watts of power. The telescope is in a fork mounting and was designed and built by Astrium.
Another important system is SKDR, a data relay system built by Alenia Spazio, which uses a 2.85-metre antenna.
LLM is a system designed for satellite communication with fairly small vehicle-based terminals in Europe, using a second 2.85-metre antenna.
This system provides four beams, covering Europe, France and Spain, central Europe and Italy, and Turkey and south-East Europe.
The Artemis satellite also has an EGNOS navigation-signal transmitter.
In addition to these systems, the satellite has an advanced ion propulsion system with 44 kg of xenon propellant.
Curious to learn more? Check out: Antenna Tracking System
Featured Images: pexels.com
