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Mission record

SMART-1

Also known as Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology 1, SMART1

ESA · Launched

Explore trajectory

Completed · Success

The first European mission to the Moon, and a demonstration of solar-electric ion propulsion on a journey that spiralled outward from Earth orbit.

Destinations
Moon
Launch vehicle
Ariane 5
Launch site
Kourou, French Guiana
Countries
Sweden
Mission types
Orbiter, Technology demonstrator

Chronology

Mission timeline

  1. Launch

    SMART-1 launched on an Ariane 5 from Kourou

  2. Orbit insertion

    SMART-1 entered initial lunar orbit

    Moon

  3. Milestone

    Science operations started, for a nominal duration of six months

    Moon

  4. Milestone

    ESA decided to extend the mission until 2006

    Moon

  5. Impact

    The mission ended with a planned impact in the Lacus Excellentiae region

    Moon

Mission architecture

Vehicles

  • SMART-1 · Orbiter

    Destinations: Moon

Trajectory record

Trajectory dataset not yet available

No verified trajectory dataset is committed for this mission, so Mission Atlas renders no path.

Provenance

Sources

Each source is listed once and labeled with the mission, event, trajectory, or destination/body context it supports.

Data verified through August 27, 2026