Luna 27: Prospect - ProSPA
ESA’s Package for Resource Observation and in-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Commercial exploitation and Transportation (PROSPECT) is a package to access and assess potential resources on the Moon and to prepare technologies that may be used to extract these resources in the future. Part of this package is the chemical laboratory ProSPA (PROSPECT Sample Processing and Analysis) in which the Moon samples will be heated in order to extract any cold-trapped volatiles. PROSPECT will be part of the Russian Luna-27 mission in 2025.
Scientific Goals
The ProSPA chemical laboratory will measure the nature and abundance of lunar volatile material, water ice for example, to better understand its history and the potential of those volatiles as resources.
MPS Instrument Provision
MPS is responsible for contacting and closing the ProSPA sample ovens. The so-called Tapping Station (TS) will provide the sealing mechanism as well as the gas interface between the ovens and the sample gas tubing. Furthermore, the TS will implement the electrical connection to the oven heaters and temperature sensors.
Figure: The ProSPA chemical laboratory. The MPS Tapping Station is shown on the right. © ESA