NASA Plans Investigations to Support Future Moon Base

The investigations were chosen through NASA's Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon (PRISM) program and will be deployed via the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, integral to its Moon Base Program.

Each investigation tackles different challenges associated with maintaining a sustainable human presence on the Moon. Researchers will assess potential natural shelters, identify usable resources, and examine dangerous conditions that habitats and equipment must endure. The outcomes are expected to support NASA's Artemis and Moon Base programs in their long-term exploration goals.

"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 of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Fox noted that these PRISM selections will aid NASA in minimizing risks to astronauts while achieving the agency's objectives for establishing the first lunar outpost and preparing for future Mars missions.

The first investigation, known as the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station -- South Pole (LEMS-SP), is aimed at establishing an autonomous station to monitor environmental conditions and potential threats over a prolonged period. It will detect micrometeoroids, small space debris that can impact the lunar surface, posing risks to equipment and habitats since the Moon lacks a substantial atmosphere to mitigate such impacts.

Additionally, the station will measure volatile substances within the Moon's thin atmosphere and include a seismometer to detect moonquakes, which will help identify hazards relevant to structure and equipment preparation on the lunar surface. Dr. Mehdi Benna from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, leads this investigation.

The second investigation, Geophysical Instruments for Marius Lunar Pit Investigation (GIMLI), will examine the Marius Hills Pit, which could be connected to extensive underground lava tubes that might serve as natural shelters for astronauts. Understanding these formations is crucial, as they could provide stable temperatures and protection from radiation and impacts, significantly enhancing safety for explorers.

GIMLI aims to use geophysical measurements to assess the pit and determine its connection to larger underground passages, with Dr. Nathaniel Putzig from the Planetary Science Institute as the principal investigator.

The third investigation, titled Depth Imager with Spectral and Color Optics (DISCO), will focus on icy regions on the Moon that are essential for sustaining a human presence. This mission will make direct measurements of water ice preserved in micro-cold traps—areas that remain cold enough to retain ice due to minimal sunlight exposure. Discovering the location and distribution of this ice could enable astronauts to source water locally, reducing reliance on Earth-supplied resources.

DISCO will also evaluate the lunar surface's physical properties to better understand the effects of spacecraft landings and the terrain's stability for astronaut and robotic movements. The investigation is led by Dr. Ariel Deutsch from NASA's Ames Research Center.

Collectively, these investigations will address significant challenges to establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon. LEMS-SP will monitor environmental threats, GIMLI will explore the potential for underground protection, and DISCO will assess water resources and surface behaviors. The findings are expected to inform the design and placement of future habitats and equipment.

Brad Bailey, director of the Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, stated that every new PRISM selection enhances their capacity to deliver transformative science to the lunar surface. He emphasized that these investigations represent an expansion of lunar exploration and the innovative technologies that accompany it.

As NASA works to increase the cadence of lunar missions in preparation for a Moon base, the CLPS initiative will play a pivotal role by partnering with American companies to transport necessary scientific instruments and technological payloads to the Moon's surface, thus supporting not only lunar exploration but also future missions to Mars.