On 16–17 July, the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DAER) at Politecnico di Milano hosted the annual in-person meeting of the ESA LUMIO (Lunar Meteoroid Impacts Observer) Science Team, as the mission progresses through Phase C. The mission features a leading contribution from the DART Lab at DAER under the scientific leadership of Prof. Francesco Topputo and Prof. Fabio Ferrari.
The meeting provided an important opportunity for Science Team members and consortium partners to exchange updates on the mission's progress and plan the next phases of its scientific activities. The Science Team consists of 75 members from universities, research institutions, and partner organizations, with approximately half of them attending the meeting in person in Milan.
The programme included updates from the consortium partners on the mission's development, focusing on the spacecraft platform, the on-board payload data processing software, the LUMIO-Cam, and the ground segment.
The Politecnico di Milano Science Team and the mission Working Groups also presented their ongoing activities and discussed the mission's main scientific and technological challenges and objectives.
The scientific activities are organized into four Working Groups:
- Meteoroid;
- Citizen Science;
- Surface and Impacts;
- Lunar Environment & Engineering.
The meeting also featured presentations by external partners highlighting synergies with other space missions and research initiatives, including NELIOTA , LISTEN FLASH, LRO Diviner and the Farside Seismic Suite (FSS). These contributions showcased opportunities for scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange across the different projects.
Ahead of the meeting, on the evening of 15 July, participants were invited to visit the Brera Astronomical Observatory, courtesy of INAF – Brera Astronomical Observatory. The visit included the Instrument Gallery and the historic Schiaparelli Dome, offering participants the opportunity to explore the Observatory's rich scientific and historical heritage.
The Department of Aerospace Science and Technology would like to express its sincere gratitude to INAF – Brera Astronomical Observatory for its warm hospitality and for organizing a highly appreciated visit for all participants.