OHB performed a self-financed study on behalf of DLR to prepare program proposals for lunar exploration.

One crucial aspect of these studies involved examining the issues and interests of a wide range of different social groups. The results were incorporated in a program proposal for the sustained use of the moon as a platform for European and German scientific research.

This program proposal includes a road map for four individual steps in exploration of the moon:

1. Lunar Orbiter mission
2. Unmanned landing mission
3. Unmanned landing mission with the retrieval of samples for return to the earth
4. Manned landing mission

The Lunar Orbiter mission marks the first step in the exploration of the moon. This involves examining the moon at an altitude of around 70 km and also preparing later landing missions.

The ensuing steps will culminate in a manned lunar landing and the ongoing operation of a station on the surface of the moon.

Accordingly, the main element of the Mona Lisa project is a lander which will transport scientific payloads as well as technology demonstrators to prepare later missions to the lunar surface. Accordingly, it will be able to land securely and softly.

Numerous elements of the Mona Lisa study have already found their way into the lunar initiatives being prepared by the German Aerospace Center DLR and the European Space Agency ESA.  Thus, Mona Lisa has been able to make a key contribution to European space policy, underscoring OHB's commitment to a European lunar program with key German support.

Details at a glance:

Status:
Program study, Phase A

Unmanned lander:

• Dry weight: approx. 800 kg
• Launch weight: approx. 2,100 kg
• Payload: approx. 130 kg
• Launch vehicle: Soyuz or Ariane 5

Scientific disciplines:
Geology, geophysics, geochemistry, biology, astronomy, planetology, technology