The MoonLITE spacecraft will fire four suitcase-sized penetrator probes into different points around the lunar surface. Travelling at around the speed of sound, the dart shaped probes will pierce up to six feet into the surface.
Anyway, looks like an interesting, low cost approach. Hopefull the penetrators work better than the Deep Space 2 impactors that were carried on the Mars Polar Lander (their failure was separate from the failure of the MPL).I think the telecommunications part is a result of the NASA cooperation, but it's unclear if the orbiter would be intended to last until 2020, when it could support Constellation landings.
It will be second independent Moon mission to be launched in the near future by a ESA member. Earlier German announced plans for a seperate probe as well. Not sure what lessons to draw from these decisions. Both Germany and the UK have rather successful small satellite builders, SSTL and OHB. I guess this is a more direct return on government funding then money sent to ESA, which might not end up with these smaller companies....