The next generation of human space exploration, focusing on the Moon and Mars, is being supported by data and tools from existing space missions. Scientists are utilizing these resources to address practical challenges associated with sustained human presence beyond Earth.
At a press briefing on December 17 at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in Louisiana, researchers detailed how ongoing missions are contributing to these efforts. This scientific work aligns with NASA's renewed focus on human exploration, following an executive order signed on December 18 by President Donald Trump. The order directed NASA to return astronauts to the Moon by 2028 and establish initial elements of a permanent lunar base by 2030, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman leading the initiative.
Scientists at the AGU briefing indicated their work involves adapting Earth-based tools and datasets for future Moon and Mars missions.
Radiation Risk Management
Gina DiBraccio, a heliophysicist and acting director of the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, presented a decision-support tool. Initially developed for tracking space weather near Earth, this tool has been expanded to integrate data from Mars missions. Its purpose is to assist astronauts in assessing real-time radiation risks on the Martian surface.
The dashboard integrates data from multiple Mars missions, including NASA's MAVEN orbiter and the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, with plans for additional data sources. This project is intended to function as a unified display accessible via a tablet, enabling crews to monitor space weather events, such as solar flares, and determine if protective measures are necessary. DiBraccio stated this represents an initial step in providing astronauts with tools to understand and evaluate space weather from the surface of Mars.
Other Mars missions are also providing data relevant to radiation hazards. Shannon Curry, MAVEN's principal investigator at UC Boulder, highlighted a catalog of Martian space weather events. This catalog, compiled from MAVEN orbiter data covering a solar cycle from 2014 through 2025, quantifies radiation levels in orbit, some of which can reach the Martian surface through its thin atmosphere, during both low and high solar activity periods. Curry noted that this informs expectations regarding radiation levels across a full solar cycle.
Lunar Water Resources
The identification of water resources on the Moon, particularly near its south pole, is a key focus. NASA's Artemis program plans to land astronauts in this region.
Bethany Ehlmann, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, stated that current datasets do not precisely agree on the exact location of lunar water. She clarified that while water is generally known to be in the south pole, and specific craters are of interest, its precise distribution requires further definition.
A new imaging spectrometer, selected by NASA in July, aims to address this uncertainty. This instrument, intended for lunar orbit, is designed to map water and minerals and identify suitable sites for sample collection.
Managing Lunar Dust
Lunar dust presented challenges during the Apollo missions, damaging equipment and spacesuits. Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison "Jack" Schmitt experienced adverse effects from dust exposure. Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan previously described dust as a significant impediment to lunar operations, suggesting it could be more challenging than other physiological or mechanical issues.
Scientists are now addressing this issue through new instruments and missions. The DUSTER (Dust and Plasma Environment Surveyor) project, led by Xu Wang of the University of Colorado Boulder, has been selected for NASA's Artemis IV mission. This $24.8 million project will deploy a suite of instruments on a rover to record dust and plasma conditions near the lunar surface and assess their response to human activity.
The team is also developing a Compact Electrostatic Dust Analyzer (CEDA) to measure key properties of lunar dust. This instrument is designed for operation on the surface or aboard orbiting spacecraft, capable of surviving hard landings irrespective of orientation. Wang stated that dust is ubiquitous on the Moon and must be managed.
Martian Magnetic Fields
Research is also underway to determine if Mars' localized magnetic fields could offer natural radiation protection. Initial modeling, based on orbital observations, indicates that crustal magnetic fields embedded in Martian rocks might provide shielding over a range of a few miles.
To map these regions in greater detail, teams are working to miniaturize magnetometers. These devices could be mounted on aerial vehicles, such as small drones similar to NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, allowing for surface surveys at a higher resolution than orbital methods. Jared Espley, a space scientist at NASA Goddard involved in the research, confirmed this initiative.
Conclusion
These endeavors demonstrate how robotic missions are informing the future of human space exploration. Ehlmann emphasized that both robotic and human exploration are complementary and can be conducted synergistically.