LUMIO

The mission

Lunar Meteoroid Impacts Observer (LUMIO) is an upcoming 12U CubeSat mission performing a demo of lunar CubeSat technologies, operating in an Earth-Moon L2 halo orbit. The main objective is to detect meteroid impact flashes on the lunar far side for science & exploration hazard assessment.  

Platform: 12UXL CubeSat.
Payloads: High frame rate camera.
Programme: General Support Technology Programme (GSTP).
Consortia: PoliMi (mission lead, optical nav & ops), Leonardo (camera payload), Argotec (system eng., AIV & P/F), IMT (X-band transponder & SADA), Nautilus (Flight dynamics), S&T Norway (payload OB processing), Lift Me Off (propulsion & RCS), ECAPS (main thruster). 

Mission description

LUnar Meteoroid Impact Observer (LUMIO) is a CubeSat mission to a halo orbit at Earth-Moon L2 that shall observe, quantify, and characterise meteoroid impacts on the Lunar farside by detecting their flashes, complementing Earth-based observations on the Lunar nearside, in order to provide global information on the Lunar Meteoroid Environment and contribute to Lunar Situational Awareness for future exploration missions. 

The mission utilises a 12U XL form-factor CubeSat which carries the LUMIOCam, an optical instrument capable of detecting light flashes from meteoroid impacts in the visible & near infrared spectrum to continuously monitor and process the data in near real-time. The mission implements a novel orbit design and advanced miniaturised technologies to serve as a pioneer in demonstrating how CubeSats can become a viable tool for lunar science and exploration.

The specific objectives of the LUMIO mission are to: 

• Conduct observations of the lunar surface in order to detect meteoroid impacts and characterise their flux, magnitudes, luminous energies, sizes and locations. 
• Complement observations achievable via Earth-based assets in space, time, and quality in order to provide a better understanding of the meteoroid environment. 
• Demonstrate deployment and autonomous operation of CubeSats in lunar environment, including navigation & trajectory control aspects. 
• Demonstrate miniaturised optical instrumentation, real-time on-board payload data processing and platform technologies in the lunar environment. 

The mission is made up of five different phases, namely: 

• LEOP & Commissioning Phase In this phase, the LUMIO spacecraft is designed to be launched as piggyback payload on a launch vehicle deploying a main passenger on a Weak Stability Boundary trajectory. Injection conditions are therefore the same as the main passenger. The LUMIO CubeSat is commissioned, ready to execute the first manoeuvre. Emerging dedicated launch opportunities provided by micro-launchers for lunar missions are also being considered as backup. 
• Transfer phase In this phase, the LUMIO spacecraft executes nominally 3 manoeuvres (but up to 8 in contingency cases) in order to transfer from the launch injection to its final operative orbit – an Earth-Moon L2 halo orbit – using on-board chemical propulsion. Also in this case, the spacecraft cruises with radiometric navigation strategy and Direct-To-Earth communication and performs, when necessary, wheel desaturation manoeuvres. 
• Operations phase In this phase, the LUMIO spacecraft accomplishes its scientific objectives. The nominal duration of the phase is 1 year, and it is subdivided in two parts of the 28-day lunar cycle: 
  - Science cycle, during which the scientific data are continuously acquired, processed on board and compressed when the farside is partially or fully in darkness, and
  - Navigation & engineering cycle, during which radiometric navigation based on Direct-To-Earth link is performed (in parallel with the demonstration of an autonomous optical navigation experiment using the LUMIO-Cam) and station keeping and wheel desaturation manoeuvres are conducted.
• End-of-life phase In this phase, all spacecraft systems are de-commissioned, and the end of life manoeuvres are performed in order that the spacecraft impacts the lunar surface in compliance with the new ESA space debris mitigation standard. 

Mission status

Launch: Potential launch opportunities (2027+) are piggyback launch to WSB transfer, or NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services carrier to lunar orbit.
Status: PDR completed in December 2023, Phase B extension to Feb. 2025 (Delta-PDR) for change of propulsion, Phase C/D/E/F approved by IPC, Phase C KO in March 2025.