The Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) is a 

non-binding product of the participating agencies 

in the International Space Exploration Coordination 

Group (ISECG). The GER presents a shared 

international vision for human and robotic space 

exploration and is based on the coordinated 

programmes, initiatives and goals of the ISECG 

space agencies. This coordinated vision from the 

ISECG agencies around the world recognises that 

the difficult and long-term challenges of exploration, 

coupled with common objectives and goals, are 

best addressed through cooperative ventures.

The GER reflects an exploration strategy that begins 

with the International Space Station (ISS) and 

extends to the Moon, asteroids, Mars and other 

destinations. This strategy builds on a shared set 

of exploration goals and objectives and reflects 

missions that will provide substantial benefits to 

the citizens of Earth.

Since the release of the GER in January 2018 and 

subsequent release of the 2020 Lunar Surface 

Exploration Scenario Update (‘GER Supplement’), 

many ISECG space agencies* have intensified and 

accelerated lunar exploration plans. These rapidly 

evolving exploration plans, coupled with several 

new agency participants in the ISECG, necessitated 

an update to the 2020 Lunar Supplement. This new 

2022 GER Supplement refines lunar objectives, 

updates mission plans and includes the newly 

joined ISECG organisations (cf. Chapter 1) and 

updates to agency lunar exploration plans (cf. 

Chapter 2).

This 2022 GER Supplement also includes a refined 

set of common objectives for a sustainable lunar 

surface exploration campaign (cf. Chapter 3) and 

the updated Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario 

(cf. Chapter 4) describes the architecture elements 

and the exploration campaign that progressively 

meet these lunar surface exploration objectives. 

This Supplement also includes a new chapter 

(cf. Chapter 6) which characterises lunar scientific 

priorities enabled by exploration initiatives. 

This updated 2022 GER supplement and agency 

specific objectives will be used to support 

coordination efforts amongst space agencies by 

providing context for establishing solid partnerships 

and executing successful missions. As space 

exploration is an inherently global endeavour, 

partnerships of all types—amongst government 

agencies, academia, public-private entities and 

within the private sector—are crucial and provide 

the best ideas and solutions from around the globe. 

Image of ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer inside seven-windowed 

Cupola of the International Space Station during Expedition 67. 

Image Credit: ESA/DLR/NASA *“Space agencies” refers to government 

organisations responsible for space activities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

P. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

P. 6 CHAPTER ONE

 Growing Global Momentum

P. 13 CHAPTER TWO

 Major Updates in Lunar 

 Exploration Plans

P. 20 CHAPTER THREE

 Lunar Surface Exploration 

 Objectives

P. 24 CHAPTER FOUR

 Updated Lunar Surface 

 Exploration Scenario

P. 29 CHAPTER FIVE

 Increasing Industry 

 Capabilities

P. 30 CHAPTER SIX

 Scientific Priorities Enabled 

 by Exploration Initiatives

P. 35 APPENDIX

ABOUT THIS SUPPLEMENT
2 3

The 2018 Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) 

reflects an exploration strategy that captured a 

shared vision from space agencies* participating in 

the International Space Exploration Coordination 

Group (ISECG) for international collaboration based 

upon a common set of exploration goals, objectives 

and identified benefits to humanity. Since then, 

many space agencies have renewed their focus 

on the Moon, for its scientific opportunities and 

prospects for sustained human presence and to 

demonstrate capabilities that will prepare for human 

missions to Mars. This renewed focus led ISECG 

agencies to update the Lunar Surface Exploration 

Scenario and capture the latest developments 

in lunar exploration planning from around the 

globe in the 2020 GER Supplement. The ISECG 

membership has subsequently expanded while 

agency plans have continued to advance since 

the 2020 GER Supplement release. This growth in 

ISECG members and continued advancement of 

agencies’ exploration plans reflects the increasingly 

important role of spaceflight endeavours in 

providing economic and societal benefits to people 

on Earth through increased lunar investments 

and expanded scientific and exploration goals. 

In parallel, commercial space activities are 

achieving new capabilities for spaceflight leading 

to economic conditions suitable for business 

sustainability that have opened the spaceflight 

frontier to new entrants and new government 

strategies for science and human exploration 

of the solar system.

This 2022 updated GER Supplement describes the 

latest mission scenario and architecture for human 

and robotic lunar surface missions, preparatory 

activities for Mars and scientific priorities for the 

Moon. This Supplement also integrates renewed 

and emerging national plans and commercial 

capabilities among ISECG participating countries, 

including international efforts to agree on a lunar 

navigation and communication architecture. 

Leveraging the ISECG goals and sustainability 

principles (from the 2018 GER), a set of 12 lunar 

exploration objectives was formulated with rationale 

and performance measure targets defined and then 

incorporated into one scenario with three phases:

• Phase 1: Boots on the Moon

• Phase 2: Expanding and Building

• Phase 3: Sustained Lunar Opportunities

2 3

Unpressurised

Rover

Gateway

Luna 25

LUNAR ORBIT

LUNAR SURFACE

2022 2030

Human Mission with Cargo

LEGEND

Robotic Mission

KPLO

SLIM

Cargo Missions

Artemis I

(uncrewed)

Artemis II

(First Crew)

Planetary Rovers

Human Landing

System

Additional Crew & 

Small Cargo Missions

Additional Crew 

and Cargo Missions

Russian Orel 

Crew 

Transportation 

System

NASA

SLS & 

Orion

Buildup over

series of flights

Mobility & Habitation

International/ 

Commercial 

Transportation 

System

ISECG Mission Scenario – Lunar

2026

Artemis III

Luna 27

VIPER

EL3

Chang’E-6

Chang’E-7 Chang’E-8

PPE-HALO

launch

Gateway 

Ops

Phase 1 Phase 2A Phase 2B

PPE-HALO

I-Hab

LUPEX

Increasing habitation 

duration capabilities for 

Mars analogues 

Chandrayaan-3

Luna 26

Luna 28 Korea Lunar Lander

ISRU Demo

JAXA Mid Lander

Surface Habitation

CLPS

Updated Sept 14 2022

HLS test

LEAP

Artemis IV

Figure 1. Updated ISECG Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario.

Additionally, this Supplement captures the 

increasing interest and associated mission 

planning in lunar in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU), 

communication and navigation systems, lunar 

transportation, surface power and dust mitigation 

technologies. These capabilities, combined with 

new commercial payload delivery services, will 

also benefit science and academic communities by 

providing more frequent and lower-cost missions to 

the Moon and, ultimately, Mars.

Evolved lunar surface exploration and utilisation 

scenarios reflect plans for a near-term series of 

robotic missions followed by humans returning 

to the Moon in this decade. Rather than looking 

at individual missions, the scenario depicts a 

stepwise development of an increasingly capable 

lunar transportation system to the lunar surface, 

traversing systems on the lunar surface, and 

infrastructure supporting them that will enable 

cooperative science and human exploration efforts 

leading toward a sustained presence on the lunar 

poles and incorporating lunar surface activities as 

analogues in preparation for human missions to 

Mars. These efforts emphasise landed downmass 

to eventually support four crewmembers per 

mission and mobility systems that dramatically 

enhance science return and exploration distances 

around a lunar pole base camp.

Sustained exploration and presence on the lunar 

surface are not the only goals for future planning; 

rather they are part of a collection of incremental 

advancements, each adding to our combined 

knowledge of the Moon and preparing for continued 

exploration across the solar system, starting 

with Mars. These activities are also a driver for 

innovation and economic growth. Advancements 

in technologies touching every aspect of everyday 

life—health and medicine, public safety, consumer 

goods, industrial productivity, transportation 

and many others—are a direct result of space 

exploration. In the last several years, job creation 

and economic growth have been accelerated by 

private investments in the space sector.

*“Space agencies” refers to government 

organisations responsible for space activities.

ISECG SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES

Affordability

Innovative approaches

to enable more with 

available budgets.

Exploration Benefit

Meet exploration

objectives and

generate public

benefits.

Partnerships

Provide early and

sustained opportunities

for diverse partners.

Capability Evolution 

and Interoperability

The stepwise evolution 

of capabilities with

standard interfaces.

Human-robotic 

Partnerships

Maximise synergies between 

human and robotic missions.

Robustness

Provide resilience

to technical and 

programmatic

challenges. 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4 5

ISECG AGENCIES WORLD MAP
6 7

MEXICAN SPACE AGENCY (OCT. 2020)

The Mexican Space Agency (AEM), a government 

agency established in July 2010 by Congress 

Decree with the purpose to use space and 

technology to meet the needs of the Mexican 

population, promoting innovation and 

development of the space sector, contributing 

to the competitiveness and positioning Mexico 

in the international community within the peaceful, 

effective, and responsible use of outer space.

The AEM has a National Space Activities Program 

2020-2024 (PNAE) focused on contributing to the 

solution of the public problems and for this, the 

AEM promotes the Penta helix model: government,

society; academia, industry, and the environment, 

constituting the propellers around sustainable 

development. The priority objectives of the AEM 

contained in the PNAE are the following:

1. Identify the perspectives and promote the 

development of space infrastructure for 

navigation, global positioning, and its 

applications.

2. Promote the development of a comprehensive 

program of national scope for Earth observation 

for the benefit of the population.

3. Increase capacities and promote cooperation in 

science and technology in the country, in space 

exploration for the scientific and technological 

strengthening of Mexico.

As transversal: Development of human capital; 

industrial, commercial and competitiveness in the 

space sector; and international cooperation and 

space security. 

The Mexican Space Agency, in accordance with its 

mission and work program, shares the principles 

that support ISECG, and is interested in advancing 

in full coordination and cooperation. Everything 

indicates that space activity will be an important 

driver of economic activity in the remainder of the 

21st century. Visit: https://www.gob.mx/cms/

uploads/attachment/file/585644/Programa_Nacional_

de_Actividades_Espaciales_2020-2024.pdf.

GEO-INFORMATICS AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY 

DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (THAILAND) 

(APR. 2020)

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology 

Development Agency (GISTDA) was founded 

in 2000. GISTDA’s primary objective has been 

the development of geo-informatics and space 

technology and these core functions are 

divided into two segments: ground and space. 

Since its inception nearly 20 years ago, GISTDA 

has focused on developing Earth observation 

satellite technology and applications and building 

the professional capacity of Thailand and 

Southeast Asia by investing in human capital 

and training. Another critical element of GISTDA’s 

mission is building and leveraging its domestic 

space industry.

Recently, Thailand has broadened its focus to 

include space exploration. Under the umbrella of 

Earth Space System, they announced the Ministry 

of Higher Education, Science, Research and 

Innovation initiative, which aims to increase space 

exploration research and development within 

Thailand. GISTDA is Thailand’s main space agency 

and has officially launched its Space Exploration 

Program which has the following focus areas:

• Scientific research in low-Earth orbit, the Moon 

and beyond

• Increasing space technology capacities of 

exploration, scientific payload and instrument, 

robotic rover, spaceflight and spaceport

• Building awareness in the space exploration 

sector

• Supports Thailand to New Space Economy

GISTDA joined ISECG to help Thailand become a 

contributing member of the global space exploration 

community and to assist in expanding the global 

space economy. For more information about 

GISTDA, visit https://www.gistda.or.th.

CHAPTER ONE

GROWING GLOBAL MOMENTUM

The steadily increasing number of ISECG agencies underscores the growing global interest and momentum 

for going forward to the Moon and Mars. Since the 2018 GER release, the number of ISECG agencies has 

increased from 15 to 27. Below is a summary of the new organisations along with the date they joined: 

BRAZILIAN SPACE AGENCY (AUG. 2020)

The Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial 

Brasileira—AEB), a government agency 

established in February 1994 with the purpose 

of promoting the development of space activities 

of national interest, is responsible for the 

formulation, coordination, and implementation 

of the National Policy for the Development of 

Space Activities. AEB seeks to ensure that the 

downstream market for space-based products 

and services meets the needs of Brazilian 

society. Additionally, AEB ́s efforts are targeted 

at consolidating the Brazilian space industry, 

increasing its competitiveness and capacity for 

innovation. The Agency views space cooperation 

as a critical tool to leverage resources and 

reduce risks, favoring the joint development 

of technological and industrial projects that 

generate valuable outcomes to both Brazil 

and its international partners.

Advances in space science and the use of space 

applications in everyday life inspire positive 

developments in the formulation of improved 

public policies and in the design of businessoriented space diplomacy that delivers sustained 

prosperity to all. As the key body of the Brazilian 

space ecosystem, AEB understands that becoming 

a full ISECG member will grant the agency the 

opportunity to learn from top performers, build 

on a widespread culture of collaboration and 

innovation and take a more active part in the 

international space agenda. For more information 

about AEB, visit https://www.aeb.gov.br.

AUSTRALIAN SPACE AGENCY (FEB. 2019)

On 1 July 2018, the Australian Government 

established the Australian Space Agency (ASA) 

with the intent of transforming and growing a 

globally respected space industry. Australia’s long 

history of supporting space exploration dates back 

to the 1960’s, with the efforts of the existing ISECG 

member Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial 

Research Organisation (CSIRO), and is now 

increasing its ability to participate in global efforts 

for the peaceful use of space. Australia has strong 

capabilities in robotics and remote operations, 

artificial intelligence, space domain awareness, 

advanced communications, health, and remote 

medicine. Australia is increasing its capacity and 

facilities in areas including:

• Mission and robotics command and 

control centres

• Ground station networks

• Space manufacturing and space data analytics

• Introducing industry programmes to 

collaborate internationally and support 

global plans to reach the Moon and 

continue on to Mars

ASA looks forward to sharing ideas and 

contributing to the international efforts to solve 

the challenges related to achieving ISECG goals. 

For more information about the Australian Civil 

Space Strategy, visit https://www.industry.gov.au/

strategies-for-the-future/australian-space-agency. 
8 9

LUXEMBOURG SPACE AGENCY (SEPT. 2019)

The Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) was 

founded in 2018. LSA’s primary focus is to develop 

the space sector in Luxembourg by creating new 

and supporting existing companies, developing 

human resources, facilitating access to funding 

and supporting academic research. The agency 

executes the National Space Economic 

Development Strategy, manages national space 

research and development programmes and 

leads the SpaceResources.lu initiative. LSA also 

represents Luxembourg within the European 

Space Agency (ESA), which the country has 

been a member of since 2005, and participates 

in space-related programmes of the European 

Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN).

The Luxembourg Space Agency is excited to 

partner with ISECG and is dedicated to aiding 

efforts to advance global coordination in space 

exploration. In 2020, LSA established the 

European Space Resources Innovation Centre 

(ESRIC) in Luxembourg to contribute to the 

peaceful exploration and sustainable utilisation 

of resources for the benefit of human kind. ESRIC 

is conducting research in the field of space 

resources, hosts an open research infrastructure 

and develops technologies with industry for human 

and robotic exploration as well as for a future inspace economy. ESA joined ESRIC in a strategic 

partnership, and together with European academia 

and industry, ESRIC and ESA are developing 

technologies for a human presence at the Moon 

sustained by local resources. For more information 

about LSA, visit https://www.space-agency.lu.

NEW ZEALAND SPACE AGENCY (SEPT. 2021)

Established in 2016, the New Zealand Space Agency 

(NZSA), part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation 

and Employment, is the front door for space activity 

in New Zealand – the lead government agency for 

space policy, regulation and sector development. 

NZSA’s role is to enable the continued growth of 

New Zealand’s space sector, while ensuring all 

space activities are conducted safely, sustainably 

and securely. NZSA achieves this through supporting 

the development of innovative space technology 

and a future-focused and flexible policy and 

regulatory regime.

New Zealand has a broad space sector with 

strengths in a number of areas including launch, 

manufacturing, and operations. Through enabling 

collaborations between New Zealand’s space sector 

and international space partners, NZSA seeks to 

promote the development of space technologies 

and solutions that will benefit life on Earth, including 

those that will contribute to our understanding of 

the solar system. Recent collaborations between 

the New Zealand space sector and international 

partners including space agencies and commercial 

space operators, will see innovations developed 

to both support a sustained human presence in 

space and to aid coordination of space missions 

in cislunar space.

For more information about NZSA, visit https://www.

mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/space/.

NORWEGIAN SPACE AGENCY (JAN. 2020)

The Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) is a 

government agency under the Ministry of 

Trade, Industry and Fisheries. The Agency 

was established in 1987, when Norway became 

a member of ESA. NOSA is responsible for 

organizing Norwegian space activities, particularly 

with respect to ESA and the EU, and for 

coordinating national space activities. Space 

activities have a large strategic value for Norway, 

with its vast ocean areas and as one of the world’s 

northernmost areas.

Norwegians have always been pioneers when 

it comes to exploring the unknown and have a 

long tradition for operating in harsh and remote 

environments. With increased international focus 

on space exploration comes new challenges, 

leading to increased scientific and technological 

knowledge. NOSA sees this as a great opportunity 

for innovation that could be useful both in space 

and on Earth, widening the scope for Norwegian 

activities.

NOSA views their membership in ISECG as an 

opportunity to expand their perspective and work 

with international entities towards mutual goals 

for exploration. For more information NOSA, visit 

https://www.romsenter.no/.

POLISH SPACE AGENCY (NOV. 2018)

The Polish Space Agency (POLSA) was founded 

in 2014 and joined the ISECG in 2018. POLSA is 

deeply committed to the ISECG’s principles and 

primary objective of shared cooperative international 

space exploration. Poland has a rich history of 

space discovery and exploration that has benefitted 

humankind for centuries. POLSA’s priorities include:

• National space sector enhancement 

• Robotic, sensor and lander mission

• Advancing the use of space technology for 

everyday life

For more information about POLSA, visit https://

polsa.gov.pl/.
10 11

PORTUGAL SPACE (DEC. 2020) 

The Portuguese Space Agency, Portugal Space, is 

an organization created in 2019 by the Portuguese 

government to implement the National Space 

Strategy. The Agency’s primary purpose is to 

promote and strengthen the Space ecosystem 

and value chain, for the benefit of society and 

economy in the Portugal and worldwide. 

Portugal Space coordinates the Portuguese 

participation in several international organisations 

such the European Space Agency (ESA) and 

advises the Portuguese government on the 

contributions and subscriptions made to ESA. 

Portugal Space also coordinates the Portuguese 

participation in the European Southern Observatory 

(ESO), in the European Solar Telescope (EST) 

and in the recent SKAO (Square Kilometer Array 

Organization) as a founding member. Portugal 

Space is also the national representative for 

Portugal to the European Commission for matters 

related to Space, namely the European Union 

Space Program and Horizon Europe.

Concerning space exploration activities, 

Portuguese entities participate in ESA missions 

such as ExoMars and Mars Sample Return, the 

International Habitation Module (I-HAB) part of the 

Lunar Gateway, the future European Large Logistic 

Lander (EL3), the planetary defense mission HERA, 

in the Columbus module at the ISS amongst 

others. Furthermore, Portugal is participating in 

the development, utilization and landing of Space 

Rider, the future European orbital and reentry 

platform to perform microgravity research in space. 

Moreover, in the research field Portugal is in the 

process of commissioning ESTHER, the European 

Shock-Tube for High Enthalpy Research, a worldclass facility to study reentry plasma physics. 

Finally, Portugal is also home to space analogue 

sites, such as some caves in Selvagens Islands, 

which have been used to perform microbial 

life research.

For more information about Portugal Space, visit 

https://ptspace.pt/.

ROMANIAN SPACE AGENCY (MAR. 2019)

Created in 1995, the Romanian Space Agency 

(ROSA) was born out of the Romanian Commission 

for Space Activities (CRAS), which was established 

in 1968. ROSA is a self-funded public institution 

and is coordinated by the Ministry of Education and 

Research—National Authority for Scientific Research 

and Innovation. ROSA acts as the financing agency 

for the national research programmes on Space, 

Aeronautics and Security; chairs the inter-agency 

Security Research working group; serves as the 

national coordinator for the Space Situational 

Awareness (SSA) Programme; and is the Competent 

Authority for the Galileo Public Regulated Service 

(PRS). ROSA is also the Romania representative in 

all international space organisations and coordinates 

all of the nation’s space-related activities. Joining 

the ISECG provides ROSA a new framework 

and broader opportunities for cooperating and 

collaborating with space agencies worldwide. 

For more information about ROSA, visit http://

www2.rosa.ro/index.php/en/. 

SWISS SPACE OFFICE (MAR. 2019)

The Swiss Space Office is an integral part of the 

State Secretariat for Education, Research and 

Innovation (SERI) in the Federal Department of 

Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER). 

Its main responsibility is to prepare and implement 

the Swiss Space Policy, primarily through 

participation in ESA programmes.

The main focus of SSO in exploration is science, 

the development of space technologies and 

international collaboration. The development and 

utilisation of space infrastructures to the benefit 

of society are a key element of the Swiss Space 

Policy. Space exploration enables continuous 

improvement in understanding humanity’s place 

in the universe. These endeavours simultaneously 

deliver tangible results in science and technology, 

which are directly applicable on Earth. For more 

information about SSO, visit https://www.sbfi.

admin.ch/sbfi/en/ home/research-and-innovation/

space.html.

VIETNAM NATIONAL SPACE CENTER 

(JAN. 2020)

Established in 2011, the Vietnam National Space 

Center (VNSC) is governed by the Vietnam 

Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 

which administers and advances research and 

development and technology applications. VAST 

is working with VNSC to increase Vietnam’s space 

science and technology capabilities with additional 

investments in national training and infrastructure. 

The VNSC is proud to be one of ISECG’s newest 

agencies and is poised to cooperate, partner and 

contribute as needed in order to serve the common 

peaceful purpose of the ISECG.

VNSC’s primary focus is to facilitate international 

cooperation and the agency has become an active 

member of several international organisations 

including the International Astronautical Federation 

(2012), Committee on Earth Observations (2013) 

and Group on Earth Observations (2014). VNSC also 

oversees the management and implementation of 

the Vietnam Space Center Project—one of Vietnam’s 

largest science and technology investments. 

For more information about VNSC, visit https://vnsc.

org.vn/en/.
12 13

CHAPTER TWO

MAJOR UPDATES IN LUNAR 

EXPLORATION PLANS

Over the past several years, ISECG agencies have 

made significant updates to explorations plans, with 

a special emphasis on lunar missions and polar 

volatiles. Most agencies have become increasingly 

interested and committed to exploring the Moon’s 

polar regions and in implementing long-term 

sustainable exploration missions based on 

international cooperation and commercial 

participation. These exploration plans include 

strategies that follow the established spaceflight 

practice where robotic missions come first and are 

primarily driven by scientific and technology 

demonstration objectives. These are followed by 

more complex and capable robotics systems that 

become extensions of human explorers. As these 

human and robotic capabilities merge, they 

are incorporated into the overarching mission 

strategies, which will significantly enhance 

exploration capabilities.

CREWED LUNAR EXPLORATION AND 

SUPPORTING MISSIONS

The United States is undertaking a new lunar 

exploration programme—Artemis—that soon 

will enable human missions to the Moon and in 

a manner that is sustainable long-term and tests 

the systems and operations necessary to prepare 

for future human Mars missions. The National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) 

Artemis missions have a goal of enabling human 

missions to the lunar surface as early as 2025 and 

target sustainable lunar exploration near the end 

of the decade. The first Artemis mission will launch 

in 2022 (uncrewed full system test), followed by 

Artemis II in 2024 (crewed mission in cislunar space) 

and will culminate with Artemis III as early as 2025 

with a crewed mission to the lunar surface.

Following Artemis III, crewed missions with two 

crewmembers will fly to the lunar surface annually 

and then increase to four crewmember missions 

before the end of the decade. The Artemis missions 

are enabled by international cooperation with the 

European Space Agency (ESA), which is providing 

the European Service Module (ESM) that powers 

the Orion spacecraft. ESM1 has been integrated 

with the Orion capsule for the Artemis I mission, 

ESM2 has been delivered for Artemis II, and the 

developments of ESM3 through ESM6 have started. 

ESA and NASA expect to soon reach agreement on 

ESA's provision of ESMs 7 through 9, contingent 

upon approval by ESA ministers. 

The Gateway is a vital element of international deep 

space exploration plans. With key investments from 

NASA, ESA, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), 

and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 

(JAXA), the Gateway will provide a next-generation 

deep space platform from which to conduct not 

only operations but also science investigations 

outside the protection of the Earth’s Van Allen 

radiation belts. The international science community 

has identified heliophysics, radiation, and space 

weather as high-priority investigations to conduct 

on the Gateway. 

Since the GER’s release in 2018, the concept of the 

cislunar Gateway has matured to include a high 

output solar electric power and propulsion element 

(PPE) and a pressurised Habitation and Logistics 

Outpost (HALO) that will be integrated for launch 

as early as 2024.

In addition to contributing to Gateway transportation

with ESMs, ESA is developing an enhanced 

communication string to supplement the Gateway’s 

lunar communication system (ESPRIT HALO-Lunar 

Communication System), the International 

Habitation Module (I-HAB), which will increase the 

Gateway’s habitation capability and the number of 

docking ports, and a refueling system and viewing 

capability (ESPRIT European Refueling Module) to 

contribute to the sustainability of the Gateway.

In early 2019, Canada announced its plan to 

develop and contribute an advanced, nextgeneration, artificial intelligence-enabled robotic 

system for Gateway. The smart robotic system 

will perform critical operations and support the 

Canadarm3, Canada’s smart robotic system for the 

Lunar Gateway. Image Credit: CSA, NASA
14 15

deployment of science and technology experiments 

at Gateway. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has 

also initiated preparatory activities associated with 

Gateway science and technology utilisation and, 

more recently, commenced the Lunar Surface 

Exploration Initiative (LSEI) that focuses on 

identifying major infrastructure investments Canada 

could make to support sustainable human presence 

on the lunar surface , and have Canadian astronauts 

engaged in the exploration of the Moon. LSEI 

contribution studies include capability areas of 

argriculture and food, rovers and robotics, nuclear 

power, communication and mining (remote sensing, 

surface prospecting and ISRU). Deep space 

healthcare technologies are also under study 

under a CSA initiative called Health Beyond.

In June 2020, Japan renewed the Basic Plan on 

Space Policy, which states that Japan will support 

the Artemis programme by contributing to the 

Gateway through habitation technologies and 

logistic capability, and aim to contribute to human 

lunar surface missions by providing transportation 

vehicles on the lunar surface, so that Japanese 

astronauts can actively participate in Artemis 

missions. The roadmap for the Basic Plan on 

Space Policy renewed again in December 2021 

clarifies the start of a full-fledged study on the 

provision of a pressurised rover by the Japan 

Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which could 

provide an opportunity to leverage lunar surface 

activities to simulate and refine plans for the first 

human Mars surface mission.

In early 2021, the Japanese government initiated 

several technology development projects related to 

lunar exploration such as communication and 

navigation, construction, energy, food and robotics 

within the framework of the “Stardust Program” 

which is meant to accelerate research, development 

and utilisation of space technology. Out of these 

technologies identified as areas of development by 

the Stardust Program, JAXA is developing key 

technologies for lunar communication and navigation.

In June 2022 ESA released its new exploration 

roadmap called Terrae Novae 2030+ (Latin for new 

worlds) with a vision covering low-Earth orbit, the 

Moon and Mars. The roadmap prepares Europe to 

implement strategic autonomy in its lunar exploration

activities, at the same time strengthening international

partnership with the objective to have the first 

European on the Moon surface by 2030. In particular, 

the ESA focus is to contribute capabilities in 

support of Moon exploration initiatives, including: 

1. Lunar transportation for science, logistics 

and infrastructure (European Large Logistics 

Lander (EL3)), 

2. Communications and navigation (Lunar 

Pathfinder and Moonlight), 

3. Lunar surface science and technology 

demonstration (including e.g. space resources 

and energy systems), and 

4. Operations support for astronauts (such as 

medical systems). 

The development of EL3, a European autonomous, 

multi-mission capability to deliver large (1.5-2 

tonnes) science payloads, technology packages, 

infrastructure and cargo for robotic and human lunar 

surface activities, is the first step. The decision for 

its implementation is expected late 2022, for a 

launch of the first mission in 2030. In parallel, ESA 

has partnered with industry on a high-data-rate 

lunar communication commercial service starting 

with the Lunar Pathfinder mission. Lunar Pathfinder 

is a relay satellite planned to be operational in 2025, 

also including a navigation in orbit demonstration 

(IOD) payload. It should be followed by the 

development of a more capable high-performance 

lunar communication and navigation services 

constellation (Moonlight) that will support sustained 

robotic and human activities on the surface.

Within the next five-year Ukrainian Space 

Programme, which is under the consideration of 

the Ukrainian Parliament, the State Space Agency 

of Ukraine (SSAU) will provide contributions to the 

Artemis missions, as well as to the European Moon 

Village Association (MVA) initiative. SSAU is working 

on four major lunar activities:

1. Creating a power plant for the lunar base, which 

will be powered by solar energy. The technology 

for the power plant is based on innovative 

electrolysis technology and can be used to 

produce rocket fuel in the lunar base environment.

2. Developing a 6U CubeSat that will be in a 

selenocentric orbit and provide images of the 

Moon from several vantage points, allowing 

terrain imaging and measuring spectral changes 

on the lunar surface.

3. Manufacturing a solar-thermoelectric generator 

designed to produce renewable energy. 

The generator will retain its functionality in 

the absence of solar radiation due to absorbing 

heat from the lunar surface.

4. Developing a lunar lander-hopper, which will 

provide transportation to the lunar surface of 

scientific equipment with the capability to 

relocate to a new site or multi-site delivery 

of equipment.

ROBOTIC LUNAR EXPLORATION MISSIONS

Many individual robotic missions aim to understand 

the science and exploration value of the lunar 

poles. This portfolio of missions forms a de-facto 

international Polar Exploration Campaign beginning 

with regional surveys (i.e., ground truth for ice, 

resources and local chemistry at diverse locations), 

followed by site exploration and preparation of 

locations identified as high priority. This campaign 

will ultimately support international sustained lunar 

surface activity. Robotic lunar missions that have 

either flown or have been formally approved for 

further study and/or funded by space agencies 

through 2031 (since publication of the 2018 GER) 

are outlined in Table 2 of this updated Supplement. 

The growing list of institutional missions 

(complemented by private-sector initiatives that 

are not shown in Table 2) underscores that there 

remains continued scientific interest and highlights 

both the scale of this cooperative effort globally 

and the human-robotic partnership required for 

sustainable lunar surface exploration.

China National Space Administration (CNSA) 

On December 17, 2020, the Chang’E-5 mission 

successfully returned 1731g of lunar samples, 

marking the successful implementation of “Orbiting, 

Landing and Return” three-step goals of China’s 

lunar exploration. At present, the phase four of the 

China Lunar Exploration Program is being carried 

out, including Chang’E-4, Chang’E-6, Chang’E-7 

and Chang’E-8 missions. The Chang’E-4 mission 

achieved the first soft landing on the far side of the 

Moon on January 3, 2019, and deployed the Yutu-2 

rover. The Chang’E-6 mission is scheduled to 

launch around 2024, which aims to collect samples 

from the far side of the Moon. The Chang’E-7 

mission, scheduled to launch around 2025, will 

focus on investigation of water distribution in the 

Moon’s polar region. The Chang’E-8 mission is 

scheduled to launch around 2028, carrying out 

scientific exploration of the polar region and 

verifying key technologies for the construction of 

the lunar research station. In the future, it is planned 

to complete the construction of International Lunar 

Research Station (ILRS) around 2035, in order 

to carry out normalised scientific exploration, 

technological verification and utilisation of 

lunar resources.

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) 

The CSA has the on-going Lunar Exploration 

Accelerator Program (LEAP), which supports lunar 

technology development, in-space demonstration, 

and science missions. LEAP, in conjunction with 

international partners, plans to send payloads to 

the lunar surface by 2026. These payloads will 

include a lunar rover and other science or 

technology demonstrations.

European Space Agency (ESA) 

ESA is developing several surface science and 

technology demonstration payloads, including:

• The PROSPECT instrument package for volatiles 

investigations and a first ISRU experiment, 

including a cryogenic drill and a sample analysis 

system for ice and other polar volatile chemistry, 

to be flown with the NASA CLPS programme in 

the mid-decade.

• The Exosphere Mass Spectrometer 

(EMS) ), derived from an instrument in the 

PROSPECTchemical laboratory, will fly on the 

NASA CLPS first Astrobotic Peregrine lander end The Gateway. Image Credit: NASA
16 17

2022 to measure the lunar exosphere. It is also 

planned to fly the instrument on the ISRO/JAXA 

LUPEX mission.

• Autonomous technologies for precise navigation 

and hazard detection are needed for future 

planetary access, in particular for the European 

Large Logistics Lander. A qualified navigation 

camera will fly in the frame of the first ESA 

commercially procured lunar landing service. 

The data collected during flight will be used for 

ground validation.

• A laser retroreflector allowing ranging from the 

Earth to test relativity and measure the lunar 

interior is planned for delivery by Intuitive Machines 

through NASA’s CLPS programme in 2024. 

• The Negative Ions at the Lunar Surface (NILS) 

Payload on the Chinese Chang’E 6 mission will 

measure an important unknown spect of the 

environment at the lunar surface in 2024 (TBC).

Italian Space Agency (ASI) 

ASI strongly supports Lunar exploration, in 

particular the crewed initiatives through ESA, with 

several national companies working on ESMs and 

the Gateway modules and having a deep interest 

in surface elements like ESA European Lunar 

Lander EL3. Key technologies like communication 

and navigation, as well as landing capability are 

promoted for development. Also, ASI is currently 

working in the design of a future Lunar Surface 

Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) Module(s) to 

support lunar surface exploration plans. 

Concerning the robotic initiatives, on the occasion 

of the Artemis I mission Italy will launch and operate 

the ArgoMoon 6U cubesat, the first national 

spacecraft in Near Deep Space with the aim to 

collect unique pictures of the SLS ICPS stage 

and, furthermore, of the Moon surface. 

In addition, the Lunar Global Navigation Satellite 

System Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) will be 

deployed and operated late 2023 on board of 

the Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 (BGM1), landing 

in Moon’s Mare Crisium as part of the NASA 

CLPS program. 

Among the ESA contributions, Italy is a key player 

in the PROSPECT instrument development, for the 

in-situ surface sample analyses. 

At national level, ASI promotes Lunar Surface 

Science, ISRU as well as in the study and 

development of innovative surface architectures. 

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) 

ISRO launched Chandrayaan-2 on 22 July 2019 

with the goal of demonstrating an end-to-end 

lunar mission capability, including insertion of an 

orbiter in lunar orbit, and soft landing and roving 

on the lunar surface. The mission was originally 

designed to last one year. The orbiter, which 

was equipped with eight advanced payload 

instruments, was successfully inserted into 

a 100 km orbit. The orbiter experiments are 

continuing to perform very well and are expected 

to contribute much to lunar science at the end of 

the now-extended mission of nearly seven years. 

However, the mission was unable to soft land the 

lander and rover.

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to the 

Moon for demonstrating landing and roving on 

the lunar surface and is expected to be launched 

in 2023. It consists of a lander and rover carrying 

payloads to study thermo-physical properties, 

plasma environment, seismicity and conduct 

in-situ elemental composition measurements 

in the vicinity of the landing site. The lander is 

expected to land in the ‘unexplored’ southern 

high latitudes on the Moon and the mission life 

is around 14 Earth days.

In addition, ISRO is now conducting a feasibility 

study for a joint lunar polar exploration mission 

with JAXA launching later this decade.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) 

JAXA continues to focus on developing lunar 

surface capabilities using the Smart Lander for 

Investigating Moon (SLIM) mission. SLIM will 

demonstrate pinpoint landing technology and 

is planned for launch in 2022/2023. JAXA has 

formulated a formal project team for the Lunar 

Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission in cooperation 

with ISRO, slated for launch in the 2024/2025 

timeframe. The aim of this mission is to obtain 

knowledge of lunar water resources and to explore 

the suitability of the lunar polar region for the 

establishment of a lunar base. JAXA is working 

towards sending small missions to lunar orbit in the 

early 2020s in order to increase industry’s capability 

and maintain the science community’s interests. 

JAXA is also working to develop small-sized and 

medium-sized landers in the late 2020s and no 

earlier than 2030 respectively, for technology 

development and science missions, and also 

for providing logistics support for human lunar 

surface missions.

Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) 

KARI launched the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter 

(KPLO) – officially named ‘Danuri’ – in August 2022. 

KPLO will make South Korea’s first step into lunar 

exploration. After reaching the Moon, KPLO will 

orbit the Moon at about 100km altitude for one year 

carrying an array of instruments, including one 

U.S.-built instrument called ‘Shawdowcam’, which 

will acquire high-resolution images of PSRs. KPLO’s 

main objectives are to develop and validate critical 

technologies for lunar exploration, and to perform 

scientific investigations and topographic mapping 

of the Moon for a future landing mission. KARI’s 

second lunar mission is a robotic lander and rover 

planned for launch in 2031. The lander will be 

developed to demonstrate the safe, precise, and 

soft landing capability, and to deploy a rover that 

will carry instruments to observe the lunar dust and 

the surrounding terrain. In addition, early-stage 

development and verification of other surface 

technologies (e.g. ISRU and RTG) will also be 

carried out. Prior to the landing mission, a lunar 

orbit insertion demonstrator will be launched by 

the inaugural flight of the next generation of the 

Korean Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV-III).

Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX). Image Credit: JAXA

Danuri - Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO). Credit: KARI.
18 19

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA) 

In September 2022, NASA released its Moon to 

Mars Objectives as part of its effort is to develop 

and document an objectives-based approach to 

its human deep space exploration efforts. These 

objectives incorporate inputs gathered from U.S. 

industry and academia as well as international 

partner space agencies. The Commercial Lunar 

Payload Services (CLPS) project was developed by 

NASA to procure delivery of payloads to the lunar 

surface from commercial providers. There are 

currently 14 companies on the CLPS contract, all of 

whom can compete when NASA releases a request 

for a lunar surface delivery. Early commercial 

delivery manifests will conduct science experiments,

test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to 

help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for 

crewed missions. Typically, these CLPS deliveries 

have additional payloads from entities other than 

NASA, e.g., universities, companies, other US 

government agencies, and/or 

international space agencies.

As of Q2 2022, NASA has awarded seven contracts 

for surface deliveries to both polar and non-polar 

lunar locations beginning in 2022 (see Table 1). 

The expected cadence for deliveries is approximately

two per year. NASA is utilising the CLPS capability 

for one of these deliveries to land the Volatiles 

Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) on 

the lunar South Pole to investigate the location and 

concentration of water ice in the region and takes 

samples to inform future science and human 

missions to the South Pole. VIPER is scheduled to 

land in the South Pole region of the Moon in late 

2023. NASA is also preparing to initiate acquisition 

of commercial lunar communication and navigation 

services in 2022.

NASA is making significant investments to mature 

technologies that support sustained science and 

exploration on the lunar surface across a range 

of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), including 

CLPS payloads. These technology areas include 

advanced power; ISRU; materials, structures, 

excavation and construction; advanced thermal; 

dust mitigation; and autonomous systems and 

robotics. NASA also supports the Lunar 

Surface Innovation Consortium which fosters 

communication and collaboration among US 

industry, academia and government.

Roscosmos 

As of 2020, Roscosmos adjusted the timeline of its 

Luna series of missions to explore the lunar poles. 

These 2020 updates are as follows: 

• Luna-25 Lander Mission (Luna-Glob-Lander) 

scheduled for launch in the early 2020s.

• Luna-26 Orbital Mission (Luna-Resurs-Orbiter) 

scheduled for launch in 2024. This mission will 

study the lunar surface from low polar orbit 

(approximately 50–100 km).

• Luna-27 Landing Mission (or Luna-Resurs-Lander) 

scheduled for launch in 2025.

• Luna 28 (Luna Resource 2 or Luna-Grunt Rover) 

scheduled for launch in 2027. This is a cryogenic 

polar volatiles sample return mission and is a 

follow-up mission for Luna 27 (also proposed 

by Roscosmos).

Russian manufacturers and research institutes are 

conducting Research and Development activities 

on advanced methods and system design to 

provide navigation and communication services 

for lunar exploration users.

TABLE 2

Robotic lunar missions performed since the 2018 GER and future plans by ISECG agencies

MISSION AGENCY/LAUNCH DATE DESCRIPTION/OBJECTIVES

Queqiao CNSA 2018 Communication relay satellite.

Chang’E-4 CNSA 2018 Far side scientific lander and rover.

Chandrayaan-2 ISRO 2019 Polar scientific orbiter, lander, and rover.

Chang’E-5 CNSA 2020 Near side sample return.

Luna 25 Roscosmos TBD Lunar volatile prospecting. Soft landing technology

demonstration.

Artemis I NASA/ESA 2022 Uncrewed Orion/ESM flight with science and technology 

payloads. Deployment of cubesats in lunar orbit.

KPLO (Danuri) KARI 2022 Polar scientific and technology demonstration orbiter.

SLIM JAXA 2022/2023 Pinpoint landing technology demonstration.

Chang’E-6 CNSA 2022-2024 Polar volatiles sample return.

Chandrayaan-3 ISRO 2023 Lunar polar lander and rover.

VIPER NASA 2023 Lunar polar rover. Polar science and volatiles.

LUPEX JAXA/ISRO 2024/2025 Polar lander and rover. Polar science and understanding 

the distribution and characterization of volatiles.

Luna 26 Roscosmos 2024 Polar scientific orbiter. Polar volatiles mapping.

Luna 27 Roscosmos 2025 Polar science, volatile prospecting and acquisition. Drill 

technology demonstration.

LEAP Lunar Rover Mission CSA with NASA 2026 Polar rover incorporating Canadian and U.S. instruments 

via a CLPS lander.

Luna 28 Roscosmos 2027 Cryogenic polar volatiles sample return.

ISRU demo ESA 2027 In-situ end-to-end extraction of oxygen from lunar regolith.

Chang’E-7 CNSA 2023-2030 Prototype of International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).

Chang’E-8 CNSA 2023-2030 Prototype of International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).

Small Lander JAXA Late 2020s Science and technology development.

EL3 ESA 2030 Multi-mission science and logistic capability.

Mid Lander JAXA NET 2030 Transport logistics and/or science.

Lunar Lander Orbit Insertion Demo KARI 2030 Launch vehicle capability demonstration.

Korea Lunar Lander KARI 2031 Lunar lander and rover for scientific research and 

technology demonstration.

TABLE 1

NASA’s contracts for surface deliveries to both polar 

and non-polar lunar locations beginning in 2022

YEAR CLPS PROVIDER MANIFEST LOCATION

2022 TO2: Intuitive 

Machines

Science/ 

Technology

Oceanus 

Procellarum

2022 TO2: Astrobotic Science/ 

Technology Lacus Mortis

2023 19C: Masten Science/ 

Technology

Haworth Crater/

S. Pole

2023 PRIME-1: 

Intuitive Machines

Science/ 

Technology S. Pole

2023 20A: Astrobotic VIPER Nobile Crater/

S. Pole

2024 19D: Firefly 

Aerospace

Science/ 

Technology Mare Crisium

2024 CP-11: 

Intuitive Machines

Science/ 

Technology Reiner Gamma
20 21

CHAPTER THREE

LUNAR SURFACE

EXPLORATION OBJECTIVES

Concept design of a pressurised rover. Image Credit: JAXA/Toyota

Based on the ISECG Goals and Objectives and 

Sustainability Principles, published in the 2018 

GER, ISECG participating agencies developed a 

set of dedicated Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario 

Objectives (see Table 3). This set of objectives is 

based on the principle that human lunar surface 

exploration should focus on preparing for human 

Mars missions and for sustainable activities on the 

Moon leveraging ISRU.

The Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario Objectives 

in Table 3 are the drivers for the updated ISECG 

Lunar Exploration Scenario. For each lunar surface 

objective, there is a rationale that maps to one or 

more higher-level ISECG goal(s) and corresponding 

performance measure targets. These performance 

targets can be achieved in a single mission or over 

a series of missions. These target(s) provide a 

guidepost for long-term goals but are flexible and 

will evolve over time to support agency priorities. 

The objectives in Table 3 are prioritised according 

to how they are executed in the ISECG scenario. 

The final five objectives will be executed throughout 

the scenario. In addition, it is assumed each agency 

will set their own priority objectives for their own 

missions.

Several of the objectives necessitate a fixed 

location to support completion, such as longduration habitation and ISRU, whereas other 

objectives require diverse locations on the Moon 

and long-range mobility. These competing 

objectives led ISECG members to adopt an 

approach where initial capabilities are continually 

leveraged while additional capabilities are added.

NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, 

or VIPER, undergoes mobility testing using simulated 

lunar regolith at the NASA Glenn Research Center. 

Image Credit: NASA
22 23

TABLE 3

Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario Objectives

Expand Human 

Presence into the 

Solar System

Understand 

Our Place 

in the Universe

Engage 

the Public

Stimulate 

Economic 

Prosperity

Foster 

International 

Cooperation

OBJECTIVE RATIONALE ISECG 

GOAL

PERFORMANCE 

MEASURE TARGET

Demonstrate human 

landing/ascent capability 

and establish regular 

access to and from the 

lunar surface.

To mitigate the risk for future human Mars exploration and 

for future government activities and commercial markets on 

lunar surface, global lunar access is desired. Number of crew 

should be as many as possible considering the nature of 

international programme, but within the realistic constraints 

of crew transportation capability planned by governments and 

envisioned commercial missions.

Establish a cadence of at least 

3 4-crew missions in a 5-year 

period

Demonstrate a range of 

cargo delivery capabilities 

on the lunar surface for 

large surface elements and 

logistics.

To mitigate the risk for future human Mars exploration and for 

future government activities and commercial markets on lunar 

surface, global lunar access and as much cargo capability 

as possible is desired. Cargo capacity performance measure 

range is driven by: 1) Mass of crew consumables necessary 

for 4 crew for 30 days will be around 2 tons; and 2) current 

human ascent module is estimated to be at least 9 ton.

>9 t for large surface elements 

>1 t for logistics

Demonstrate Extra Vehicular 

Activity (EVA) capabilities on 

the lunar surface.

To mitigate the risk for future human Mars missions and 

sustainable lunar exploration and for commercial activities on 

the lunar surface.

Reusable EVA systems with 

minimal maintenance including 

on-site dust management/

mitigation and science 

sampling/curation techniques.

Demonstrate human long 

range traversing capability 

on the lunar surface.

To mitigate the risk for future human Mars exploration and for 

future government activities and commercial markets on lunar 

surface. Mobility capability design life of 10,000 km is the total 

round trip distance to explore and traverse the five crew sites 

indicated in the 2018 GER. Traverses to anywhere on the lunar 

surface are dependent on lunar night survival (up to 14 days).

10,000 km (cumulative)

Demonstrate reliability 

of human long duration 

habitation capability and 

operational procedures on 

the lunar surface.

To mitigate the risk for future human Mars exploration 

and for future government activities and commercial 

markets on lunar surface. Systems need to be capable 

of environmental extremes (e.g. temperature, radiation, 

pressure). Demonstration of human long duration habitation 

and reliability can be achieved over a series of crewed and 

uncrewed missions, yielding the confidence for long-duration 

missions on the Moon and Mars. Astronaut operations need to 

be implemented and checked in different operative scenarios.

500 days (cumulative)

Demonstrate crew 

health and performance 

sustainability to live and 

work on the lunar surface 

for a sufficient duration 

to validate Mars surface 

missions.

To understand the human health effects of low gravity and 

deep space environment for long duration missions on the 

Moon and notional Mars crewed surface mission. A number 

of integrated missions of increasing durations are expected to 

address the ability to understand crew health and performance 

of long duration exposure in the deep space environment.

Missions with 30-60 days of 

lunar surface time, increasing 

microgravity durations, and 

approximately 10 subjects for 

each mission duration: 

Research Missions with ≈ 90 

days pre-surface microgravity; 

Risk Reduction Missions 

with ≈ 180 days pre-surface 

microgravity; and 

Mars Validation with 360 days 

pre-surface in microgravity 

and 270 days post-surface in 

microgravity.

Demonstrate in-situ resource 

production and utilisation 

capability sufficient for crew 

transportation between lunar 

surface and Gateway and 

lunar surface utilisation needs.

To expedite sustainability for future human Moon and Mars 

exploration and to identify future commercial markets on 

lunar surface.

Produce 50 t propellant 

per year.

Conduct effective global 

human/robotic cooperative 

exploration to perform 

ground breaking science.

To accomplish lunar objectives specified in the ISECG 

Science White Paper, “Scientific Opportunities Enabled By 

Human Exploration Beyond Low-Earth Orbit” as well as lunar 

objectives identified by ISECG agencies.

Comprehensive evaluation 

needed to determine value 

of science. 

Develop infrastructure (e.g. 

power and communication 

systems) with high 

availability necessary to 

achieve the objectives 

for sustained exploration 

and continuous human 

presence.

To demonstrate and establish infrastructure capabilities including 

a certain level of power and navigation and communication 

systems for achieving objectives such as long duration habitation, 

ISRU, diverse science and public engagement. Commercial 

activities rely on infrastructure to stimulate economic growth. 

Availability will be determined for each system, where availability 

is the probability that a system will be functional when required, 

including the necessary spares and associated crew time for 

maintenance to support those systems.

Power: 300 kW of power 

Generation, Communications: 

1 Gbps for global lunar 

coverage with Earth-Moon 

data rates. Additional 

Systems TBD. 

Engage the public in general 

and the youth in particular 

with human/robotic lunar 

surface exploration by 

bringing the action to large 

audiences, making full 

use of the state-of-the-art 

technology and through new 

ways of communication.

To inspire new generations, increase awareness of the 

relevance of space, recognise the importance of different 

perspectives and domains of knowledge present in different 

scientific endeavours. Also public participation is necessary 

in the long run to ensure sustainability of such plans (civic 

engagement/empowerment). 

On national level as feasible, 

measuring positive public 

attitude towards lunar surface 

exploration through surveys, 

website hits, social media 

impact, etc.

Implement new commercial 

arrangements that stimulate 

economic prosperity, foster 

commercial opportunities, 

and increase resiliency with 

dissimilar redundancy.

To achieve commercially-led sustainable (i.e. market-driven 

economy with diminishing reliance on governments) economic 

activities on the Moon, new commercial arrangements 

are essential. ISS and other exploration endeavours have 

demonstrated an increased economic robustness with 

dissimilar redundancy.

Increasing number of 

commercial partners or 

stakeholders providing lunar 

services year-after-year.

Provide a large number of 

collaboration opportunities 

for international partners 

to contribute to the lunar 

surface scenario.

To encourage global participation in the lunar surface scenario, 

inclusive of a range of contributions from science to hardware.

More than 100 nations’ 

participation to lunar surface 

scenario.

*Performance measure targets reflect long-term 

objectives and can be achieved in a single mission or 

over a series of missions across several decades.
24 25

CHAPTER FOUR

LUNAR SURFACE EXPLORATION 

OPERATION CONCEPT

Since the publication of the lunar surface 

exploration scenario in the 2020 GER supplement, 

ISECG’s lunar surface exploration operation 

concept has been further studied and documented. 

The objectives of this exercise were to identify 

necessary elements and additional elements if 

needed to realise the operation scenario in the GER 

and also to derive the functional allocation to each 

element by going through the operational steps of 

the operation concept. Additionally, by investigating 

major operational contingency cases, several 

additional functions were found for further 

consideration (e.g. unpressurised rover roles 

during pressurized rover exploration). 

The updated Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario 

describes a phased approach to implementing 

infrastructure and exploration on the lunar surface 

to meet the goals and objectives defined by ISECG. 

The updated scenario starts with Phase 1, Boots on 

the Moon, where space agencies focus on sending 

humans to the Moon along with robotic exploration 

missions to support this goal and the later phases. 

Phase 2 follows, Lunar Exploration—Expanding and 

Building, emphasises the completion of the 

proposed lunar surface objectives by diversly 

exploring the lunar surface diversely and ultimately 

identifying the most beneficial site for longer 

durations. The initial focus is on achieving lunar 

surface exploration objectives pertaining to human 

landing and ascent, logistic cargo landers, and 

long-range traverses. The later focus is toward lunar 

surface exploration objectives pertaining 

to long duration habitation, crew health and 

performance, and in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU). 

Phase 3, Sustained Lunar Opportunities, envisages 

laying the foundation for a sustained and vibrant 

lunar presence in the coming decades through 

partnerships with international governments, 

academia and industry. During this phase, 

governments would shift their investment focus 

to further expand the exploration frontier, including 

Mars exploration missions. 

Because scenarios for Phase 2B and Phase 3 are 

not yet well defined in the GER and given that the 

human return to the Moon (Phase 1) is being led by 

NASA, ISECG focused the studies of the operation 

concept on Phase 2A. The Phase 2A is further 

divided into sub-phases such as phase 2A-a to 

2A-d as below and as shown in the figure on page 

25 to facilitate the operation concept study. 

• Mission 2A-a: One Pressurised Rover (PR) at 

the South Pole

• Mission 2A-b: One PR & Fixed Surface Habitat 

(FSH) at the South Pole

• Mission 2A-c: Two PRs at the South Pole for 

the first mission and off the pole for the following 

missions

• Mission 2A-d: Uncrewed Mission (not shown 

in the chart)

The current operational concept is reliant on several 

choices available in the operational approach. 

Since the surface architecture elements are in an 

early phase of definition, many of these choices 

are driven by uncertainties in the element design. 

Major trade themes, options, current approach 

assumptions, and the pros and cons associated 

with each option were examined and identified 

for further discussion. Trade themes and selected 

approaches are summarized in Table 4.

To illustrate a typical operation concept in Phase 2, 

additional details in the operation concepts for the 

Phase 2A-b are described below:

During the Phase 2A-b, one PR with one Lunar 

Terrain Vehicle (LTV) and FSH are present for the 

lunar surface exploration. The LTV will be used 

for contingency return if the PR has failed or is 

immobile. Two of the crew will stay in the PR and 

the other two crewmembers will stay in the FSH. 

In the middle of the mission duration, the crew will 

switch the habitation locations. The HLS will not be 

used for primary habitation while the crew are on 

the surface.

Lunar Orbit Mission Sequence

Return to the Moon: 

Two crew land –

6.5 day surface 

duration

Two crew, 6.5 

surface duration

SPR delivery

Two to Four crew, 

30 day 

surface mission

Two to Four crew, 

30 day surface 

mission

Power element

Four crew, 30 day

surface mission

ISRU Pilot Plant 

delivery

Four crew, 30 day

surface mission

Enhanced rovers for 

14 day eclipse

Four crew, 42 day

surface mission

Four crew, 42 day

surface mission

Four crew, 42 day

surface mission

Phase 1

Boots on the Moon

Phase 2A

Exploration and Mobility

Phase 2B

Mars Forward, Habitation, 

and ISRU

South Pole Region

Luna 26

Luna 27 Luna 28

Chang’E-7 ISRU Demo

ISRU: Demonstrators/Small-scale Production

ISRU: Prospecting & Demonstration In Lunar Environment

Lunar Surface 

(2-4) (2-4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4)

Unpressurised 

Rover

Science 

Payloads

Astronauts 

& EVA Suits

Small 

Pressurised 

Rover

Logistics

JAXA

Medium 

Cargo 

Lander

ISRU 

Plant

Gateway

Habitation

Increasing habitation duration capabilities for Mars analogues 

Schrödinger 

Basin

South Pole 

Aitken Basin 

Interior

Antoniadi

Remains at South Pole Region

Remains at South Pole Region

KARI Lunar 

Chang’E Lander -8

Long Duration 

Habitation

Fission 

Power

Small Pressurised 

Rover - Enhanced

Power 

Element

ISRU Pilot 

Plant

Remains at South Pole Region

Utility Rover

Increasing communication and navigation capabilities

2035+: 

Additional 

elements for 

Phase 2B

Lunar 

Relay

Phase2A-a Phase2A-b Phase2A-c

LEAP JAXA 

Small 

Lander

EL3

Mission Phases Summary

TABLE 4

Operational Trades for ISECG Concept Scenarios

TRADE THEME SELECTED APPROACH

Level of cooperation between the human exploration architecture and robotic precursors Coordination

EVA support mode of the crewed surface elements (HLS, PR, FSH) HLS: Cabin Depress or Airlock

FSH: Airlock

PR: Ingress/Egress systems

Mode of unloading of the medium cargo lander Mechanical Aid

Crew interaction with medium cargo lander Crew Access to deck

Communication relay service coverage All locations

Habitation function distribution HLS: Only for transfer

FSH: Yes

PR: Yes

Dedicated Power Plant Not required

Operational interface between ISRU Pilot Plant and Power plant Only power plant to ISRU pilot plant

Envisioned EVA frequency FSH: Few & Long

PR: Many & Short
26 27

The crew will be launched on SLS/Orion from the 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. Upon the 

arrival to the Gateway, the crew will transfer to the 

HLS. After the completion of the checkout of the 

HLS, the HLS will depart the Gateway and descend 

to lunar surface. The operation concepts following 

the HLS landing are illustrated in the figure below 

with the itemized steps described in Table 5.

In addition, ISECG’s international architecture 

working group identified numerous lunar surface 

contingency cases which drive architectural 

design, element functionality and operational 

implementation. Examples include loss of PR power 

or life support capabilities, crew incapacitation 

during EVA and mechanical failures in mobility 

systems leading to immobile rovers. Other 

considerations in addressing contingency cases 

include element capabilities for remote operations 

(i.e. local control by crew or off-surface control 

of surface assets). All of these considerations will 

undergo further analysis of element designs and 

concept development

1

.

Finally, ISECG understands that a successful, 

long-term space exploration initiative on and 

around the Moon is heavily dependent on a lunar 

communications and navigation capability capable 

of providing orbiting and surface assets with a 

robust and reliable method of exchanging command 

and science data as well as providing position, 

navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities around 

the lunar surface. Fortunately, the Interagency 

Operations Advisory Group (IOAG) is studying an 

appropriate interoperable lunar communications 

and navigation architecture standards based on 

today’s identified lunar PNT requirements as 

well as integrating anticipated future capabilities 

by telecommunications operators around 

the world. The IOAG has assembled a Lunar 

Communications and Navigation Working Group 

to address the diversity of planned lunar exploration 

Landing 

Area

Exploration 

Sites

Operation Concept – Overview -

Gateway

HLS

1

FSH

2

Medium-class 

cargo lander

5

7

3

11

10

9

3&4

Sunlit area

6

18

20

15

Exploration 

Sites

9

16

16

19 12&13

Safe & Sun lit 

Zone

Pressurised 

Rover (PR)

Lunar Terrain 

Vehicle (LTV)

Crew A Crew B

4, 10-15

5

15

8

17

18

14

17

16

1

Exploration 

Sites

0

0

Note: Black letter indicates common operation.

2

1

More details of the contingency case study 

results can be found in the IAC paper, “IAC21-A5-1-5 Lunar Surface Concept Of Operations 

for the Global Exploration Roadmap Lunar Surface 

Exploration Scenario.”

Artistic impression of the European Lunar Logistics Landers (EL3) 

integrated in a Artemis human surface exploration scenario. The EL3 

lander has delivered a combination of cargo items, scientific payloads 

and small robotic assets (rovers). An Artemis crew is unloading the lander 

assisted by a robotic arm and preparing lunar surface exploration activities. 

Image credit: ESA

Overview of Operation Concept of Phase 2A-b; see Table 5.
28 29

missions needs. The goal is to ensure an 

interoperable capability as well as cross–support 

from the 12 international members and observers of 

the IOAG2

. 

As lunar communication and navigation standards 

mature and become accepted and as plans for 

launching these capabilities across the international 

space exploration agencies and commercial entities 

advance, future ISECG exploration concepts will 

incorporate communications and PNT information 

to further enhance opportunities for partnerships 

and cooperative endeavors.

TABLE 5

Operation Steps and Description

2

Additional information on the IOAG and the 

current state of LCNWG efforts can be found 

at www.ioag.org.

SCENE DAY OPERATION DESCRIPTION

0 - Medium class cargo lander lands with logistic cargo.

PR/LTV traverse to safe and sun lit zone near the HLS landing point and recharge batteries. (ground operation)

1 - HLS lands to the landing site. Crew acclimate to 1/6G for three days.

2 1 PR/LTV approaches to HLS. (ground operation)

3 1 Crew A with EVA suit egress the HLS and ingress PR Crew B with EVA suit egress HLS, and drive on LTV to and 

ingress FSH.

4 1 Crew A recharge PR/LTV power system by their solar array. Crew B check out the FSH.

5 2 Crew A drive the PR to Cargo Lander. Crew B with EVA suit drive on LTV to Cargo Lander.

6 2 Crew A with EVA suit retrieve logistic cargo from the Cargo 

Lander into PR.

Crew B with EVA suit retrieve logistic cargo from the Cargo 

Lander onto LTV.

7 2 Crew A drive PR to FSH. Crew B with EVA suit drive LTV to FSH.

8 2 Crew A transfer the logistics cargo into FSH. Crew B transfer the logistics cargo into FSH.

9 3 Crew A drive the PR(LTV operated from ground) to exploration 

area#1. Crew B with EVA suit explore the site by walk around FSH

10 3 Crew A with EVA suit egress, explore area#1, and ingress PR. Crew B with EVA suit explore the site by walk around FSH

11 3 Crew A drive PR (LTV operated from ground)to sun lit area. Crew B with EVA suit explore the site by walk around FSH

12 3 Crew A recharge PR/LTV power system by their solar array. Crew B ingress into FSH.

13 4 Crew A conduct science investigation, public engagement and 

exercise in PR.

Crew B conduct science investigation, public engagement 

and exercise in FSH.

14 5-14 Repeat operations 9 to 13 at different exploration area, having 

rest days. Repeat operations 9 to 13 having rest days.

15 15-16 Joint Handover between Crew A and Crew B.

16 17-30 Crew A perform operation 9 to 13 repeatedly at FSH. Crew B perform operation 9 to 13 repeatedly on PR.

17 31 Crew A prepare for departure including trash packing into PLC 

and disposal.

Crew B drive PR to near the HLS and prepare for departure 

including trash packing into PLC and disposal.

18 32 Crew A with EVA suit egress FSH, drive on LTV, and ingress 

HLS. Crew B with EVA suit egress PR and ingress HLS. 

19 32 PR/LTV drive back to safe zone. (ground operation)

20 32 HLS ascends and docks to the Gateway.

21 - PR/LTV explore other sites.

CHAPTER FIVE

INCREASING INDUSTRY CAPABILITIES

CSA’s Juno rover operating at night 

and simulating soil sampling in lunar

permanently shadowed regions.

Image Credit: CSA

Over the past decade, ambitions and capabilities to 

explore space and transport humans, robots and 

cargo to low-Earth orbit and beyond, and providing 

communication and navigation capabilities for the 

Moon, Mars and beyond have increased significantly.

In the past, these capabilities were only achievable 

through the resources and support of governments. 

Now missions are rapidly transitioning from being 

the exclusive purview of large agency development 

programmes to include more non-government 

actors using a services-based model or having 

entire missions executed by private companies 

around the world. While governments will continue 

to invest in key space technologies, projects and 

missions to explore Low Earth Orbit and beyond, 

ISECG agencies expect to leverage emerging 

capabilities for use in planning future spaceflight 

science and exploration activities. Leveraging these 

new capabilities will lower overall costs, share 

risks, foster innovation and benefit their countries 

by providing them access to new economies and 

technologies.

Some space agencies have responded to these 

increasingly successful private-sector capabilities 

with novel spaceflight acquisition approaches that 

both achieve the agency goals and provide private 

companies with opportunities to reduce risk while 

refining their economic operations systems and 

broadening their customer range. ISECG agencies 

welcome and support these new partnerships for 

both the benefits provided to the domestic 

economies as well as their contributions to 

achieving international space exploration goals. 

To this purpose, a new working group was recently 

created with a focus on commercialisation 

experiences within ISECG community.

Additional Figures reflecting further details in the concepts for Phases 1, 2A, 2B and the 2B end state, along with 

expectations for achieving objectives across the Phases, can be found in the supplement Appendix.
30 31

CHAPTER SIX

SCIENTIFIC PRIORITIES ENABLED 

BY EXPLORATION INITIATIVES

WHY WE EXPLORE 

(FROM A SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE) 

Robotic and human crewed missions have opened 

new horizons and advanced our understanding of 

who we are, where we come from, and where we 

are going. From examining planetary origins and 

processes to searching for signs of life, we 

continue to unravel the fundamental mysteries 

that surround us. 

Scientific investigations characterising the space 

environment and discovering how the physical 

and life sciences react in that environment are 

crucial to establishing a sustained human presence 

on other planetary bodies and in deep space. 

These investigations stem from major scientific 

questions such as: What new materials and 

technologies will we need for us to go where we’ve 

never gone? What local resources can we identify 

and utilise? What can we learn once we get there? 

And perhaps most importantly, how can these 

adventures help us advance our greater well-being 

as a species back here on Earth? Ultimately, 

learning about our planetary neighbours allows us 

to learn more about our own home; by exploring 

other planets, we are really exploring the Earth. 

HOW DOES LUNAR EXPLORATION HELP OUR 

UNDERSTANDING OF THE EARTH, MOON, SOLAR 

SYSTEM, AND UNIVERSE? 

Past exploration of the Moon by robotic and human 

missions has revealed that the lunar surface is 

ancient, due to a lack of tectonic activity and 

aeolian/fluvial processes that occur on Earth erasing 

the history of the earliest epoch after its formation. 

In that sense, the Moon serves as an unaltered 

record of the history of Earth and, by extension, 

the entire solar system. The lunar terrains are 

geologically and geochemically very diverse, mainly 

due to intense impact gardening throughout its 

existence. Remote sensing of the lunar surface 

indicates that previously unsampled unique rock 

types exist only on the Moon, and a dedicated 

global sampling campaign would expand our 

understanding of the volcanic, magmatic and 

thermal history of the Moon and other differentiated 

planetary bodies. It is, therefore, of great scientific 

value to visit and characterize not only areas on the 

equatorial near side of the Moon, as sampled during 

the Apollo and Luna era, but also on the far side 

and at the polar regions. 

One of the most important investigations is the 

determination of the absolute ages of lunar samples 

retrieved from the different regions of the Moon. 

Returning and ageing such samples from a broader 

range of global sites will also contribute to a better 

understanding of the ages of areas on other solar 

system bodies. Similarly, the detailed in-situ 

analysis of structural and morphological properties 

over the entire range of crater sizes will better 

characterize the impact processes and their effects, 

allowing us to apply such constraints to other 

bodies of the solar system that are currently not 

accessible by robotic or human exploration missions. 

The Moon’s regolith could also harbour information 

of the materials that comprised the early Earth, in 

the form of comets and asteroids that impacted the 

Moon at the same time as the Earth, as well as 

meteorites that were transferred between the Earth 

and Moon during their earliest period of formation. 

Such meteorites could reveal information about 

the conditions on the early Earth at the time of 

the origin of life. In that sense, lunar exploration 

is additionally of astrobiological significance. 

Furthermore, palaeoregoliths (ancient regolith) have 

potentially preserved other records including solar 

activity, galactic cosmic ray flux etc. to expand our 

understanding of the Sun and solar system history 

during its evolution. 

Volatiles, and particularly water, have been delivered 

to the lunar surface with cometary and asteroidal 

impactors, and these volatiles have likely become 

entrained within the extremely cold, Permanently 

Shadowed Regions (PSR) at the lunar poles. 

Samples gathered from these regions would allow 

for compositional characterization of volatiles, 

resulting in provision of clues to the compositions 

of the earliest volatiles in the solar system and 

allowing for the assessment of their usefulness as 

resources for future human exploration missions, 

including permanent bases and mobile assets, 

as indicated in the GER. 

BROAD SCIENCE GOALS FOR THE MOON 

The science goals achievable on the Moon will not 

only yield new and valuable information about our 

closest celestial neighbor but it will also provide 

broader context to aid in defining goals for further 

exploration of our solar system with both robotic 

and human systems. Thus, while the following set 

The cresent Earth rises above the 

lunar horizon in this photograph taken 

from the Apollo 17 spacecraft in lunar 

orbit during NASA’s final lunar landing 

mission in the Apollo program.

Image Credit: NASA
32 33

of science goals are defined by the near-term global 

goals of lunar exploration, they are also extensible 

to nearly every other planetary body. There are five 

areas within the lunar community’s science goals 

(Table 6).

SCIENCE ENABLING SUSTAINABILITY 

To achieve the goals of sustainable exploration, 

fundamental knowledge of the Moon gained 

through dedicated science investigations will 

assist in decision making, planning, mass 

allocations, and surface operations. 

Remote sensing, mapping, characterisation of lunar 

surface and subsurface composition, texture and 

geotechnical conditions across varied terrains and 

illumination settings including PSRs are critical 

areas of knowledge that will inform architecture 

design and will lead to utilization of various resource 

reservoirs. Surface and shallow sub-surface 

processes including regolith processing, electrostatic

environment variation, and volatile (ice) accumulation

and compaction will define the reservoir concentration

and accessibility of resources. Passive seismic data 

collection, analysis and interpretation will determine 

the Moon’s geological profile and structure in 

greater detail, enabling mineral targeting and hazard 

awareness and providing fundamental information 

on the Moon’s interior. Crater slope rock-mass 

characterisation and seismic monitoring will better 

define the potential slope hazards in and around 

craters. Sample selection, capture, and return 

capability must be developed for detailed laboratory 

analyses. In situ excavation processes under low 

gravity are vital to performing collection as well 

as validating and improving modelling capabilities. 

Volatile extraction, mineral beneficiation and the 

reduction of minerals with thermochemical or 

electrochemical processes to extract gases 

(such as oxygen) and metals is required for 

a better understanding of the available resources 

and thus to enable a future extraction and use. 

Understanding regolith behaviour and its potential 

to become nuisance dust during human and robotic 

interaction is important for planning and hazard 

mitigation. 

Iterative experiments for understanding and 

planning for human health and performance 

research equipment is needed. This will build 

upon understanding of exposure and measurement 

of biological sensitivity to the integrated lunar 

environment to define exposure limits and inform 

mitigation developments. 

COOPERATIVE SCIENCE MISSIONS 

Efforts within the international science communities 

to investigate opportunities for cooperative lunar 

science would aid and enhance the development 

of sustained collaborative and synergistic activities 

AREA DETAILS

1. Explore the origin and evolution 

of the solar system.

a. The Moon retains the bombardment history of the inner solar system and informs early solar system 

formation and dynamics. 

b. Volcanic processes over billions of years preserved on the Moon can inform planetary evolution and 

interior composition of a differentiated planetary body. 

c. The lunar poles host cold traps, or PSRs, that entrain lunar volatiles sourced from the lunar interior, 

implanted by the solar wind, or delivered to the surface via primitive material left over from the solar 

system’s formation. 

d. Sample return may yield new insights into how the Moon and the Earth are chemically linked, helping 

to constrain Earth-Moon formation models and test formation hypotheses. 

e. Geophysical investigations of the deep and shallow structure and composition of the interior will lead 

to data and new theories on planetary formation, evolution and the current state of the Moon. 

2. Define processes that shape 

planetary bodies.

a. Lunar crustal rocks and regolith are preserved and inform impact processes on both a macro and 

micro scale. 

b. Space weathering effects on airless, anhydrous bodies are investigated at the lunar surface due 

to the lack of atmosphere. 

c. Investigations into space plasma physics and electrodynamical interactions with regolith/dust.

3. Use the Moon as a platform 

for novel and unique 

measurements. 

a. Unique solar observations and measurements can be acquired on and around the Moon, including 

solar coronal imaging, solar x-ray and gamma-ray spectroscopy, radio imaging of physical processes 

in the inner heliosphere, magnetospheric imaging, and in-situ plasma and solar wind measurements. 

b. Dark Ages observations and other cosmological studies of the early Universe are enabled by utilising 

the radio-quiet far side of the Moon. 

c. Observations of climate change and Earth as a life-bearing exoplanet are enabled from the lunar 

surface through full-disk Earth viewing. 

4. Characterisation of the Moon’s 

environment and resources 

to enable more efficient and 

sustainable exploration of our 

solar system. 

a. Scientific knowledge of lunar resource reservoirs and their associated sinks/sources will allow for a 

more complete understanding of the Moon’s evolution and environment as well as the quantity and 

accessibility of those resources for ISRU considerations. 

b. Additional resources available for sustainable exploration include illumination/lighting at the poles, 

lava tubes that may be a resource for habitation or protection, etc. 

c. Research into the physical and chemical processes underlying ISRU

5. Utilise the Moon as a testbed for 

life sciences investigations that 

enable human exploration.

a. Exposure and measurement of biological (varied complexity of non-metabolic and metabolic samples) 

sensitivity and responses to the integrated lunar surface environment, optimized by combination of in 

situ and return sample analyses. 

b. Optimisation of countermeasures against the debilitating effects of deep space and reduced gravity 

environments. 

c. The Moon retains the impact history of the Earth-Moon system as well as reservoirs of primordial 

organic material delivered by comets/asteroids that may inform important astrobiological questions 

such as: Where did the Earth get the building blocks of life? What was the role of impacts and mass 

extinctions in the evolution of life? 

TABLE 6

Lunar Community Science Goals

The CSIRO ISRU Facility provides dedicated enclosures and 

instrumentation for investigating properties of high-quality 

lunar simulant and exploring dust interaction. © CSIRO

Using advanced augmented reality technologies to provide realtime ConOps for ISRU mission simulation and demonstration – 

all in a safe and collaborative environment. © CSIRO
34 35

with agency plans, broader science communities 

and other interested parties and stakeholders. 

Potential cooperative science activities could include: 

• A distributed global geophysical (and geodesy) 

network (e.g., seismometers, heat flow probes, 

magnetometers, laser ranging retroreflectors) 

• A global network of lunar weather and 

environment monitoring stations

• An astronomical lunar observatory on the lunar 

farside (e.g., radio interferometric array)

• Research station for in-situ biological and 

geological sample analyses and fundamental 

physics experiments 

• Polar volatile prospecting and mapping campaign 

(e.g., extensive mobile exploration 

and characterization) 

• Data transfer infrastructure 

Such activities are optimised through human-robotic 

partnerships, with an integrated system of 

technologies and operational capabilities supporting 

crew scientific operations. Initial implementation 

could be through modular contributions from 

different agencies, which could be responsibly 

expanded upon over time for sustained research. 

RESPONSIBLE EXPLORATION 

Mission activities shall be carried out with 

extreme care to assure long term preservation 

and sustainability of the lunar environment 

(e.g. disturbance of the lunar exosphere, light 

pollution and interference of the radio-quiet farside, 

volatile contamination and other compositional/

bio-contamination) which can disrupt future science 

investigations. Thus, characterization, and ultimately 

protection, of these tenuous environments prior to 

irreversible modification attributed to exploration 

activities should be prioritised and factored as part 

of responsible exploration. 

Planetary protection is interwoven throughout 

space mission research and development activities. 

The impacts and activities of space missions both 

on Earth and in space are the subject of community 

scrutiny. In response to crucial environmental and 

community concerns, science and technologies 

that will minimise environmental impacts prior to, 

during and post-space missions will help support 

a sustainable future for the industry and its 

scientific findings. 

Mutual trust between community and space 

research and delivery industry partners will help 

space-based automation and remote operations 

that reduce physical environmental footprints, and 

could improve the same on Earth. Circular economy 

thinking and zero waste/waste avoidance through 

whole-of-mission and life-cycle analysis assessments

will inform value chain integration, as well as low 

impact enrichment and excavation technologies. 

Not only will exploration of our Moon enhance our 

understanding of the Universe and our place within 

it, but it provides a source of inspiration, outreach 

and education for the next generation of scientists, 

engineers, and explorers through the achievements 

and advances that can be made at our nearest 

celestial neighbour. 

The science community looks forward to the 

resurgence of planned agency and commercial 

lunar missions and remains optimistic about the 

expanding research opportunities described here 

and the exciting discoveries that await future 

robotic and human explorers. 

AEB Brazilian Space Agency

AEM Mexican Space Agency

ASA Australian Space Agency

ASI Italian Space Agency

CLPS Commercial Lunar Payload Services

CLTV Cislunar Transfer Vehicle 

CNES National Centre for Space Studies

CNSA China National Space Administration

CRAS Commission for Space Activities

CSA Canadian Space Agency

CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial 

Research Organisation

DLR German Aerospace Center

EAER Federal Department of Economic Affairs, 

Education and Research

EL3 European Large Logistics Lander

ESA European Space Agency

ESM European Service Module

EU European Union

EVA Extra-Vehicular Activity

GER Global Exploration Roadmap

GISTDA Geo-Informatics and Space Technology 

Development Agency

GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System

HALO Habitation and Logistics Outpost

HTV-X Next-Generation H-2 Transfer Vehicle

I-HAB International Habitation Module

ILRS International Lunar Research Station

ISRO Indian Space Research Organisation

ISRU In-Situ Resource Utilisation

ISECG International Space Exploration Coordination 

Group

JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

KARI Korea Aerospace Research Institute

KPLO Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter

LCNS Lunar Communication and Navigation 

Services

LEAP Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program

LEO Low-Earth Orbit

LSA Luxembourg Space Agency

LUPEX Lunar Polar Exploration

NASA National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

NOSA Norwegian Space Agency

NRHO Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit

NZSA New Zealand Space Agency

POLSA Polish Space Agency

PPE Power and Propulsion Element

PRS Public Regulated Service

PTS Portugal Space

ROSA Romanian Space Agency

Roscosmos Roscosmos State Corporation for Space 

Activities

SERI State Secretariat for Education, Research and 

Innovation

SLS Space Launch System

SSA Space Situational Awareness

SSAU State Space Agency of Ukraine

SSO Swiss Space Office

TRL Technology Readiness Level

UAESA United Arab Emirates Space Agency

UK Space 

Agency

United Kingdom Space Agency

VAST Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology

VIPER Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover

VNSC Vietnam National Space Center

APPENDIX

LIST OF ACRONYMS

CSIRO ISRU team demonstrating its autonomous rover 

capabilities in a sealed lunar dust testbed environment with 

an intern student to inspire the next generation of space 

researchers. © CSIRO
36 37 Unpressurised Rover Gateway Luna 25 LUNAR ORBIT LUNAR SURFACE2022 2030Human Mission with Cargo LEGEND Robotic Mission KPLO SLIM Cargo Missions Artemis I (uncrewed) Artemis II (First Crew) Planetary Rovers Human Landing System Additional Crew & Small Cargo Missions Additional Crew and Cargo Missions Russian Orel Crew Transportation System NASA SLS & Orion Buildup over series of flights Mobility & Habitation International/ Commercial Transportation System ISECG Mission Scenario – Lunar 

2026 Artemis III Luna 27 VIPER EL3 Chang’E-6 Chang’E-8 Chang’E-7 PPE-HALO launch Gateway Ops Phase 1 Phase 2A Phase 2B PPE-HALO I-Hab LUPEX Increasing habitation duration capabilities for Mars analogues Chandrayaan-3Luna 26 Luna 28 Korea Lunar Lander ISRU Demo JAXA Mid Lander Surface Habitation CLPS

Updated Sept 14 2022

HLS test

LEAP

Artemis IV

Figure 1. Updated ISECG Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario. Figure 2. Phase 1: Boots on the Moon—South Pole. 
38 39

Lunar Orbit

Mission Sequence

Return to the Moon: 

Two crew land –

6.5 day surface 

duration

Two crew, 6.5 

surface duration

SPR delivery

Two to Four crew, 

30 day 

surface mission

Two to Four crew, 

30 day surface 

mission

Power element

Four crew, 30 day

surface mission

ISRU Pilot Plant 

delivery

Four crew, 30 day

surface mission

Enhanced rovers for 

14 day eclipse

Four crew, 42 day

surface mission

Four crew, 42 day

surface mission

Four crew, 42 day

surface mission

Phase 1

Boots on the Moon

Phase 2A

Exploration and Mobility

Phase 2B

Mars Forward, Habitation, 

and ISRU

Mission Phases

South Pole Region

Luna 26

Luna 27 Luna 28

ISRU Demo Chang’E-7

ISRU: Demonstrators/Small-scale Production

ISRU: Prospecting & Demonstration In Lunar Environment

(2-4) (2-4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4)

Lunar Surface Unpressurised Rover Science Payloads Astronauts & EVA Suits Small Pressurised Rover Logistics

JAXAMedium Cargo Lander

ISRU Plant

Gateway

Habitation

Increasing habitation duration capabilities for Mars analogues 

Schrödinger 

Basin

South Pole 

Aitken Basin 

Interior

Antoniadi

Remains at South Pole Region

Remains at South Pole Region

KARI Lunar Lander Chang’E-8

Long Duration Habitation

Fission Power

Small Pressurised Rover - Enhanced

Power Element

ISRU Pilot Plant

Remains at South Pole Region

Utility Rover

Increasing communication and navigation capabilities

2035+: 

Additional 

elements for 

Phase 2B

Lunar Relay

Phase2A-a Phase2A-b Phase2A-c

LEAP JAXA Small 

Lander

EL3

Figure 3. Phase 2A-2B: Lunar Exploration—Expanding and Building. Figure 4. Expanding and Building—Longer Duration and Increased Utilisation (Phase 2B End State).
40 41

Figure 5. Overview of Operation Concept of Phase 2A-b. Figure 5. Objectives Progression across Phases. Landing Area Exploration Sites

Operation Concept – Overview -

Gateway

HLS

1

FSH

2

Medium-class 

cargo lander

5

7

3

11

10

9

3&4

Sunlit area

6

18

20

15

Exploration 

Sites

9

16

16

12&13 19

Safe & Sun lit 

Zone

Pressurised Rover (PR)

Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV)

Crew A Crew B

4, 10-15

5

8 15

17

18

14

17

16

1

Exploration 

Sites

0

0

Note: Black letter indicates common operation.

2
42

ISECG is a voluntary, non-binding coordination forum of 27 space agencies. ISECG participating 

agencies operate in accordance with the key principles set forth in the Global Exploration Strategy—

which are open and inclusive, flexible and evolutionary—and is meant to foster mutually beneficial 

partnerships.

ISECG is committed to fostering the discussions in non-binding forums and to develop products that 

enable its members to take concrete steps towards establishing partnerships that reflect a globally 

coordinated exploration effort and enhance the benefits of space exploration for all.

For more information on ISECG activities and how to join, visit the ISECG public website,

https://www.globalspaceexploration.org

Publishing services provided by:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Headquarters

Washington, DC 20546-0001

www.nasa.gov

NP-2022-09-3075-HQ

This document is available online at 

http://www.globalspaceexploration.org