Selene’s Explorer for Roughness, Regolith, Resources, Neutrons and Elements

SER3NE is an ESA-financed pre-Phase-A small lunar orbiter study led by the University of Oslo. Its modular, single-failure-tolerant TUBiX20 platform would carry GRiNS gamma-ray and neutron spectroscopy, the LIPS hyperspectral near-infrared spectrometer, and the S3LA laser altimeter for global elemental-abundance, volatile, regolith-roughness, albedo, and high-resolution topography mapping. The proposed 20×170 km polar orbit and one-year mission would support lunar resource prospecting, landing-site characterization, neutron-lifetime measurement, and studies of Earth–Moon evolution; ESA’s activity page records a 2029 ispace ride-share concept. The mission remains a development-stage study, not a funded or flown spacecraft.