4M probe

Launch data:

Spacecraft data:

Descriptions:

• LuxSpace's 4M mission or Manfred Memorial Moon Mission is a privately funded low-cost mission of opportunity to perform a lunar flyby.
• The 4M spacecraft is powered primarly by 28 high energy density, non-rechargeable battery cells, guaranteeing the nominal mission whilst providing 6 W to the main payload and the experiments. As a secondary power source two arrays of each eight triple layer solar cells are mounted on the payload charging four × Li-Ion cells.
• The spacecraft systems consist of an on-board computer (FM430 and interface board), an I/Q modulator, a RF power amplifier, providing a nominal 1.5 W into the antenna and a quarter-wavelength antenna. As a scientific payload, a radiation experiment is to determine the radiation dose on the trajectory.
• The trajectory is a lunar flyby and return to Earth, wich will end with 90% probatility with re-entry in the atmosphere. With a chance of 10%, 4M might end in a complex highly eccentric earth orbit.
• The nominal mission duration is 8.17 days. The Lunar flyby will occur about 4.04 days. As the 4M spcecraft as no capabilities for course correction, the final trajectory is not determined and depends on the final injection vector. During flyby, the distance to earth will be about 399636 km at most with a distance to the Moon between 12000 and 24000 km.

Mission details:

• The spacecraft, named in honour of the late OHB-System founder Manfred Fuchs, will be part of the last stage of a lunar mission, due to be launched end of october 2014. 4M is mounted in the equipment bay of the third stage of the CZ-3C/G2 (LM-3B/G2) launch vehicle.
• LuxSpace's 4M (Manfred Memorial Moon Mission) amateur radio payload is attached to the third stage of the CZ-3C. Following lunar flyby on Oct 27, 2014 the stage is in a 141090 x 416326 km x 54.2 deg orbit.
• The 4M spacecraft will transmit continuously on 145.98 MHz with a 1.5 W power input at a simple monopole antenna. Transmission is about to start 77.8 minutes after launch. The amateur radio payload will transmit a JT65B signal, which can be decoded by radio amateurs.
• 4M transmitted its last message on 11 November 2014. After more than 438 hours, 4M has largely exceeded its design lifetime.