Lunar   Geology   Orbiter 

LUGO will deliver unprecedented insights into the Moon’s volcanic history, revealing how and when the last eruptions occurred and how the lunar crust evolved thermally over time.
By detecting lava tubes, voids, and subsurface structures, it will identify potential safe, shielded habitats for future human missions.
Its datasets will redefine our understanding of lunar geology and directly support ESA’s and NASA’s future exploration strategies, establishing Europe’s leadership in scientific orbital exploration of the Moon

LUGO carries three main instruments:

• Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) probing to 200 m depth with 10 m vertical resolution,
• Narrow-Angle Camera (NAC) suite producing DTMs at ~0.5 m horizontal resolution,
• Hyperspectral Camera (HSC) delivering 30 m/pixel spectral mapping.

Together, these payloads enable simultaneous surface and subsurface analysis of volcanic and tectonic features, revealing structures invisible to optical imaging alone.

LUGO will operate in a low lunar elliptical orbit (20 × 100 km), optimized for close-range observation of IMPs, lava tubes, and mare terrains.
The nominal mission duration is at least one year, with an optional extended phase for additional targets such as polar ice deposits.
Communications will rely on ESA’s Moonlight LCNS relay network with Direct-to-Earth X-band backup.

The LUGO mission is led by TRL Space (Czech Republic) as prime contractor and system integrator, supported by a pan-European consortium:
Creotech Instruments (Poland) – spacecraft platform; INAF and Italian partners – GPR development; VTT Finland – hyperspectral camera; Tartu Observatory (Estonia) – Narrow-Angle Camera; and the Institute of Geophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences – scientific leadership.
This collaboration unites leading European industrial and research institutions under ESA Mission.