NASA has selected three new scientific investigations and their payload suites aimed at expanding knowledge of the Moon and supporting planning for a lunar outpost it refers to as “Moon Base”.
The agency said the instruments and technologies were selected through its Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon (PRISM) programme and are intended to reach the lunar surface via the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. NASA said the payloads are designed to help researchers understand lunar resources, map natural shelters and assess environmental hazards to support sustained human activities on the Moon.
“NASA Science is building the ultimate interplanetary survival guide to ensure that science goes first to the lunar surface to provide our future astronaut crews with the vital information, resources, and safety precautions needed ahead of time to survive the night on the Moon,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These PRISM selections will directly help NASA minimize risks to our astronauts while maximizing our agency goals as we set up humanity’s first lunar outpost in preparation for sending the first astronauts to Mars.”
The first payload suite, Lunar Environment Monitoring Station – South Pole (LEMS-SP), is described as an autonomous, long-term station to monitor environmental conditions and hazards. NASA said it will track micrometeoroids, measure volatiles drifting into the Moon’s thin outer layer of gases and use a short-period seismometer to detect seismic events, with the aim of providing hazard assessments relevant to Moon Base hardware. The principal investigator is Dr. Mehdi Benna of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
The second suite, the Geophysical Investigation for Mapping Lunar Interior (GIMLI), is to be deployed at Marius Hills Pit to search for subterranean lava tubes and study lunar volcanic processes. NASA said the payload will scan beneath the surface to determine whether the pit connects to a large underground lava tube, which the agency said could offer future astronauts protection from extreme temperatures and radiation. The principal investigator is Dr. Nathaniel Putzig of the Planetary Science Institute.
The third suite, the Distribution of Ice and Surface Characteristics Observatory (DISCO), is intended to provide what NASA described as the first direct, on-the-ground measurements of ice in lunar micro-cold traps. NASA said it will also study how the surface behaves, including the impact of rocket exhaust and the stability of terrain for mobility, to inform surface operations and future use of ice as a resource. The principal investigator is Dr. Ariel Deutsch at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.
“Each new PRISM selection strengthens our ability to deliver ambitious, transformative science to the lunar surface,” said Brad Bailey, director of the Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “These investigations exemplify how Artemis and Moon Base are expanding the frontier of lunar exploration, advancing innovative technologies, deepening our understanding of the Moon’s environment, and paving the way for future astronaut missions.”
NASA said it is increasing its cadence of lunar missions, with CLPS supporting the Moon Base programme through partnerships with American companies to deliver scientific, exploration and technology payloads to the lunar surface and orbit.
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