On-Board Autonomy for a Low Cost Lunar Mission

The lunar mission is to be Surrey Satellite Technology first step to interplanetary travel. SSTL has designed, built and launched twelve low cost microsatellites into LEO, starting in 1981 with UoSAT-1. Design of the next generation of low cost spacecraft, (250-400 Kg) is well underway, with UoSAT-12. This spacecraft is the first in a series of missions planned to qualify SSTL's minisatellite technology and to pave the way for the low cost lunar orbiter. The primary objective of this technology demonstration exercise is to show that low cost interplanetary missions are possible and to validate the minisatellite bus. In keeping with the low cost approach, it is intended that the lunar mission project cost including launch shall not exceed $15M. This paper discusses how we intend to meet the cost challenge by applying our current low cost practices augmented with autonomy. Spacecraft autonomy will be described specifically in relation to the orbit determination and control sub-system.