MILAN - The European Space Agency has admitted it will need to borrow lunar topographic data from others for its Argonaut lander, at least until it gets around to making its own maps. Argonaut, a cargo lander first proposed at ESA’s Ministerial Council in Paris in 2022 and confirmed in 2025, is designed to support NASA’s Artemis program while giving Europe its own ride to the lunar surface. Problem is, Europe doesn’t have its own high-resolution lunar maps, which are essential for picking safe landing spots and future infrastructure sites. So for now, ESA will rely on existing mission data - likely from the United States, India, or China - that can be purchased from other providers. “We currently rely in the design phase on mission data which are already available, which can also be procured,” ESA director of human and robotic exploration Daniel Neuenschwander said during a June 17 briefing. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (launched 2009) offers global maps at about 100 meters per pixel, with targeted imaging down to 0.5 meters/pixel. India’s Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter High Resolution Camera (launched 2019) can hit 0.25 meters/pixel, making it one of the sharpest lunar eyes available. China, from Chang’e-1 onward, has also built substantial mapping capability. The cost of buying such data hasn’t been disclosed, but ESA has made lunar mapping “a key objective for future smaller missions.” Two of those missions, still competing for approval, will focus on mapping the south pole - because nothing says “independent access” like borrowing someone else’s maps first.

Argonaut is designed to deliver up to 1,500 kilograms of cargo to the lunar surface. Its first mission is currently targeting a landing at the lunar south pole in 2030, with follow-on missions every two to three years. ESA hopes to have its own mapping data by then, but no promises.