Prospects for X-ray Astronomy from the Lunar Surface

The next decade or two is likely to see a huge increase in the scientific endeavour associated with lunar exploration. In this paper we discuss the part that X-ray astronomy can play within this activity. An X-ray telescope on the lunar surface can make important scientific observations of the interactions of the solar wind with both lunar and terrestrial sources; the position of the Moon relative to the Earth makes the moon an ideal location for observing X-ray emission from the solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) process in the Earths magnetosheath. Compact and low-mass X-ray telescopes can be constructed that would be carried to the lunar surface by either manned missions or on automated soft landers. In both cases the X-ray telescope would be a small part of a much larger scientific payload.