NASA Artemis Missions: New Payloads to Explore Moon's Terrain & History

NASA has selected three new lunar science investigations to fly to the Moon as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative and Artemis campaign, with deliveries planned no earlier than 2028. The payloads will be delivered by American commercial providers under the CLPS program, continuing NASA’s strategy of partnering with industry to support scientific discovery and prepare for sustained human exploration of the lunar surface. NASA deputy associate administrator for exploration in the Science Mission Directorate, Joel Kearns, said the selections build on the agency’s evolving approach to lunar science by leveraging US commercial innovation. He said the research will expand understanding of the Moon’s history and environment while also informing future human safety, navigation and exploration beyond the Moon. One of the selected payloads is the Emission Imager for Lunar Infrared Analysis in 3D (EMILIA-3D), which will generate three-dimensional thermal models of the lunar surface. Using a thermal imager combined with stereo visible-light cameras, EMILIA-3D will measure surface temperatures and terrain properties to improve understanding of lunar regolith and support more accurate imaging and navigation. The principal investigator is Andrew Ryan from the University of Arizona. The Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER) will investigate the Moon’s internal heat flow by drilling beneath the surface and measuring temperature changes and thermal conductivity at multiple depths. A previous version of the instrument flew on the Blue Ghost Mission 1 CLPS delivery and successfully collected subsurface thermal data. The new investigation aims to further characterise the Moon’s thermal history. The principal investigator is Seiichi Nagihara from Texas Tech University. The third payload, the Site-agnostic Energetic Lunar Ion and Neutron Environment (SELINE), will study the lunar radiation environment at the surface by measuring both primary galactic cosmic rays and secondary radiation produced through interactions with lunar soil. The data will help improve understanding of lunar planetary processes and inform space weather preparedness and astronaut safety for long-duration missions. The principal investigator is Drew Turner from Johns Hopkins University. The investigations were selected through NASA’s Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon call for proposals and do not require specific landing sites. NASA will assign each payload to future CLPS delivery missions. Through the CLPS initiative, NASA continues to deliver scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon, supporting a growing lunar economy while advancing capabilities for science, exploration and future commercial development. Share. Related Posts