Nanosatellites in view of their relatively low cost are a real opportunity to test innovative concepts. We propose here a tool for monitoring continental waters, both superficial and deep. For this reason the nanosatellite payload will be based on a duo of instruments: a simple GNSS receiver and an Inertial Navigation Station. This pair will make it possible to measure, for the first time, surface water (river, lake,  soil moisture) by using reflectometry as does the CYGNSS constellation. The innovation lies in the monitoring of groundwater by differentiating GNSS accelerations and INS ones.

As the world's first microsatellite that completed lunar transfer，lunar insertion and lunar orbiting independently, longjiang-2 has explored a new mode of low-cost deep space exploration and international cooperation. This article firstly expounds the design overview of the microsatellite. Then the tasks’ execution and flight results are presented with introductions of onboard payloads，including the low frequency radio interferometer，the Saudi optical camera，the VHF/UHF radio and the student CMOS camera. Thirdly, the technical difficulties of the microsatellite，including orbit design and control，measurement and suppression of onboard electromagnetic interference，and wide-field 3D baseline interferometry，are reviewed. Finally，future deep space microsatellite missions will be introduced.

The authors developed two tiny twin rovers for Hayabusa2 asteroid sample return mission as surface exploration payloads. The two rovers with a mass of 1.1 kilogram were packed into one container and were autonomously deployed on 21 September 2018 at the altitude of approximately 50 meters above the target asteroid surface. The rovers successfuly landed on the asteroid and made surface exploration.The obtained data by the rovers were transmitted to the relay module of the mother spacecraft by radio, and then downlinked to the Ground. The main purpose of the rovers was to make two technical experiments on the asteroid surface. The rovers had a hopping capability fitted for the microgravity environment of small planetary bodies, which was evaluated on the asteroid surface. The rovers were equipped with fully autonomous capability to move over the surface, make detailed observation on the surface, and take images above the surface after having made hopping action. The autonomous capability was demonstrated on the asteroid surface. Scientific contribution was also taken into account using tiny sensors. The rovers took many images at different positions. When the rovers were still on the surface before making hopping action, surface temperature was directly measured at the contact point. This paper describes the capabilities of the rovers, operational results as well as scientific contribution using the obtained data of the rovers.

Penetration is considered as an effective solution to explore subsurface resources for robotic asteroidal missions. Since mineral volatiles are normally covered underground, it is difficult to accurately detect its composition from remote observation. Herein, a subsurface penetrating probe integrated with self-states perception and non-contamination detonation is proposed to realize a robotic in-situ exploration. By online monitoring the acted loads on the probe and analyzing the heat-induced volatiles that diffuse into the probe, the physical properties and the chemical components of the in-situ regolith can be acquired, respectively. Under a turbo-blasting detonation, the underground covered volatiles can be easily blown away, forming an artificial crater for the mother ship's following flyby detection. Experiments under asteroidal simulants indicate that the proposed probe system within 6.5 kg can realize a 1-m class penetration and create an artificial crater over 1.9 m diameter. It is expected to deploy this system for China's future asteroidal mission.

The main motivation of future in-situ exploration of Ocean Moons is the search of evidences of life. The high risk and cost of these missions encourage the concept studies of small astrobiology-dedicated platforms. Its design should take into account technical drivers such as low mass and volume (but hard-rad), as a critical mission constraint, not exceeding few kg the whole scientific payload. Capability to operate under low power (extreme-cold) is mandatory; same as low data download rate, and availability of adequate power source like RTG or similar, and fast and autonomous operation. Combined science and platform resources capability: sharing power and electronics boards will be a must; but also instruments such as spectrometers (Remote and micro Raman, LIBS) will be designed to share optics and excitation sources. To achieve the goal of life detection, we propose the strategy to follow the unequivocal biosignatures of high chemical complexity. Here we discuss a modular platform that includes instruments that would allow unveiling prebiotic/biotic chemical and structural/morphological complexities in Ocean Worlds, as well as assessing their similarity (if any) with those of terrestrial life. We establish a number of scientific objectives to set up a baseline platform concept that could carry: A deployable mast with a panoramic camera for landscape and proximity context, and a spectrometer suit based on a Standoff Raman-LIBS. A robotic arm and drill for proximity samples study with a high-resolution miniaturized camera for samples selection. An analytical laboratory composed by: i) An optical microscope for microscale morphological studies; ii) A Raman spectrometer to detect signatures of organic (bio)molecules, in particular those associated with the polymeric nature of functional molecules; iii) A biomarker detector through bio-affinity probes capable to bind and detect relevant terrestrial polymeric/monomeric biochemical compounds; and iv) Physical-chemical detectors for pH, conductivity, temperature.

In this communication we will share with the AOGS community the concept of JEWEL (the Joint Earth and Planetary Worlds Exploration Laboratory), a project for the set-up of a joint international research project that aims at stimulating collaboration across borders on the use of small platforms for future planetary exploration. The overarching research goal of JEWEL is two-fold: On the scientific side, explore the potential offered by small platforms to address some of the major questions we have about planetary systems (from the Earth-Moon system through giant planet systems and to extrasolar planetary systems): What is the diversity of their objects and architectures? How are they born? How do they work? Do they harbor habitable worlds, and ultimately life? On the technical side, seek and provide practical solutions to the technical challenges of all types incurred in the application of low-cost advanced small platforms (ASPs) to the broad spectrum of deep space exploration missions that will address these questions. The JEWEL concept, initially elaborated as a joint initiative between DFHSat company, the Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP) and the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP) during a founding workshop of September 9 and 10, 2019, is broadly open to all interested partners, both in the Academia and in industry. JEWEL Joint Activities are planned to develop along two complementary lines: Four lines of joint Science & Technology Research (STR): (1) Translating science requirements into mission types; (2) Architectures for advanced small platforms; (3) technologies for exploration small platforms; (4) Ground systems and scientific data analysis. A selected number of Priority Joint Projects (PJP) addressing the different major destinations of planetary exploration, from Earth Observation, through the exploration of the Moon and of giant planets systems, and to the characterization of exoplanets.

Limited by cost and technology, only a few countries are able to carry out deep-space exploration activities, and most of them use spacecraft above the ton level. However, with the development of spacecraft and scientific instrument technology, the power supply, communication, attitude and orbit control and space manipulation capabilities of micro-satellites have been greatly improved. It is possible to use small platform for deep-space exploration. Due to the needs of long-distance orbital maneuvering, micro-propulsion technology is an important supporting technology to achieve this task. In this paper, a comprehensive analysis of the micro-propulsion system combining with the different mission requirements of the small-platform deep space exploration is carried out. Some small satellites rely on their own propulsion systems to conduct deep-space exploration from low-Earth orbit. The propulsion technologies mainly include chemical propulsion technology, ion-electric propulsion technology, and sail propulsion system. China's Queqiao relay satellite successfully realized the communication between the earth and the back of the moon. The satellite is equipped with the monopropellant chemical propulsion system. The Chinese Longjiang satellites, successfully explored the moon, using the monopropellant chemical propulsion system, and the Japanese Hayabusa uses the microwave ion propulsion system. The second method is that after the microsatellite follows the mother satellite to reach the desired planet, it is separated from the mother body, and then relies on its own micro propulsion system to perform certain orbital maneuvers. The MarCo cubesats are equipped with the cold gas propulsion system. Some of the 13 cubesats launched with the SLS are equipped with monopropellant propulsion systems, water-based propulsion systems, and iodine ion propulsion systems. In the future, as the capabilities of micro-propulsion technology are further improved, its detection capabilities will be greatly improved, and it is possible that more countries will join the deep space scientific exploration mission.

The spin-type solar power sail-craft generates high-power electricity by attaching thin-film solar cells to a large membrane, and navigates through the outer planetary region using high-Isp ion engines. This concept can be applied to contribute to a variety of missions. In particular, by adopting a boom-type membrane deployment system instead of a spin-type system, a three-axis attitude control system can be realized. If the shape of the boom-type sail is controlled, simultaneous orbit and attitude control by solar radiation pressure can be realized. In addition to thin-film solar cells, various other devices can be attached to the sail. For example, array antennas and interferometers are attached to the sail to enable high-capacity communications and high-resolution observations. The application of spin-type solar power sails will bring about a paradigm shift in space missions by realizing large structures with light weight and high function. In this presentation, we will introduce the development status of HELIOS, the onboard component of RAISE-3, and the mission study of the 6U CubeSat with solar power sail.