NASA Selects 2 Instruments for Artemis IV Lunar Surface Science
NASA has made significant strides in its Artemis program by selecting two advanced scientific instruments for deployment on the lunar surface during the upcoming Artemis IV mission. This mission, which will target the Moon’s south polar region, aims to enhance our understanding of the lunar environment, paving the way for deeper exploration of the Moon and future missions to Mars. The selected instruments are the DUSTER (DUst and plaSma environmenT survEyoR) and the South Pole Seismic Station (SPSS), both of which are critical for gathering data that will inform human exploration and ensure astronaut safety.
The DUSTER instrument suite, led by Xu Wang from the University of Colorado Boulder, will consist of a set of tools mounted on a Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover. This suite is designed to characterize the abrasive lunar dust and plasma environment, which poses significant challenges for long-term lunar habitation and exploration. Notably, lunar dust is known to cling to surfaces and can damage equipment, making its study essential for planning future missions. DUSTER will measure the charge, velocity, size, and flux of dust particles, while also characterizing the average electron density above the lunar surface. This $24.8 million project will provide vital insights into how lunar dust interacts with human activities, thereby contributing to a safer exploration environment.
In tandem with DUSTER, the SPSS, led by Mark Panning of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will provide crucial data about the Moon’s interior structure. This seismometer will monitor meteorite impacts and assess the seismic activity in real-time, which is essential for understanding the Moon’s geological processes. Additionally, astronauts will conduct an active-source experiment using a “thumper” to generate seismic energy, further enhancing our knowledge of the Moon’s shallow structure. The SPSS project is funded at $25 million and is expected to yield insights that will not only benefit lunar exploration but also inform future planetary science efforts. Together, these instruments will help NASA tackle high-priority scientific questions and lay the groundwork for sustainable human presence on the Moon and beyond.
As NASA continues to develop these instruments for Artemis IV, the agency emphasizes the importance of human exploration in achieving these scientific goals. This approach aligns with the broader objectives of the Artemis program, which aims to foster scientific discovery, economic benefits, and ultimately, the first crewed missions to Mars. For more information on the Artemis program and its scientific endeavors, visit NASA’s official site.
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NASA Selects 2 Instruments for Artemis IV Lunar Surface Science
NASA has selected two science instruments designed for astronauts to deploy on the surface of the Moon during the Artemis IV mission to the lunar south polar region. The instruments will improve our knowledge of the lunar environment to support NASA’s further exploration of the Moon and beyond to Mars.
A visualization of the Moon’s South Pole region created with data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been surveying the Moon with seven instruments since 2009.
NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio/Ernie Wright
“The Apollo Era taught us that the further humanity is from Earth, the more dependent we are on science to protect and sustain human life on other planets,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By deploying these two science instruments on the lunar surface, our proving ground, NASA is leading the world in the creation of humanity’s interplanetary survival guide to ensure the health and safety of our spacecraft and human explorers as we begin our epic journey back to the Moon and onward to Mars.”
After his voyage to the Moon’s surface during Apollo 17, astronaut Gene Cernan acknowledged
the challenge that lunar dust
presents to long-term lunar exploration. Moon dust sticks to everything it touches and is very abrasive. The knowledge gained from the DUSTER (DUst and plaSma environmenT survEyoR) investigation will help mitigate hazards to human health and exploration. Consisting of a set of instruments mounted on a small autonomous rover, DUSTER will characterize dust and plasma around the landing site. These measurements will advance understanding of the Moon’s natural dust and plasma environment and how that environment responds to the human presence, including any disturbance during crew exploration activities and lander liftoff. The DUSTER instrument suite is led by Xu Wang of the University of Colorado Boulder. The contract is for $24.8 million over a period of three years.
A model of the DUSTER instrument suite consisting of the Electrostatic Dust Analyzer (EDA)—which will measure the charge, velocity, size, and flux of dust particles lofted from the lunar surface—and Relaxation SOunder and differentiaL VoltagE (RESOLVE)—which will characterize the average electron density above the lunar surface using plasma sounding. Both instruments will be housed on a Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover, which will be supplied by Lunar Outpost, a company based in Golden, Colorado, that develops and operates robotic systems for space exploration.
LASP/CU Boulder/Lunar Outpost
Data from the SPSS (South Pole Seismic Station) will enable scientists to characterize the lunar interior structure to better understand the geologic processes that affect planetary bodies. The seismometer will help determine the current rate at which the Moon is struck by meteorite impacts, monitor the real-time seismic environment and how it can affect operations for astronauts, and determine properties of the Moon’s deep interior. The crew will additionally perform an active-source experiment using a “thumper” that creates seismic energy to survey the shallow structure around the landing site. The SPSS instrument is led by Mark Panning of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The award is for $25 million over a period of three years.
An artist’s concept of SPSS (South Pole Seismic Station) to be deployed by astronauts on the lunar surface.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
“These two scientific investigations will be emplaced by human explorers on the Moon to achieve science goals that have been identified as strategically important by both NASA and the larger scientific community”, said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. “We are excited to integrate these instrument teams into the Artemis IV Science Team.”
The two payloads were selected for further development to fly on Artemis IV; however, final manifesting decisions about the mission will be determined at a later date.
Through Artemis, NASA will address high priority science questions, focusing on those that are best accomplished by on-site human explorers on and around the Moon and by using the unique attributes of the lunar environment, aided by robotic surface and orbiting systems. The Artemis missions will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
For more information on Artemis, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/artemis
Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov
/
molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
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