NASA Selects Three Lunar Science Investigations for Commercial Moon Missions

NASA has chosen three new scientific investigations for delivery to the Moon's surface by commercial partners through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. These missions are scheduled to commence no earlier than 2028. The selected payloads are designed to advance understanding of the Moon’s surface properties, internal heat flow, and radiation environment, thereby supporting scientific discovery and future human exploration as part of the Artemis program.

Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Initiative

The CLPS initiative is a NASA program that utilizes commercially developed lunar landers to deploy scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon. This approach aims to enable more frequent missions, foster private-sector innovation, and contribute to the development of a lunar economy. The chosen investigations do not require specific landing sites, making them site-agnostic. Joel Kearns, NASA deputy associate administrator for exploration in the Science Mission Directorate, indicated that these selections contribute to the agency's strategy of expanding knowledge about the Moon's history and environment, as well as informing future human safety and navigation during lunar and deeper space exploration.

Selected Investigations

These science experiments were chosen through NASA’s Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon call for proposals. NASA will subsequently assign each payload to specific CLPS delivery missions.

• Objective: To create three-dimensional thermal models of the lunar surface.
• Methodology: This instrument combines a thermal imager with stereo visible-light cameras to measure temperature variations across the lunar terrain.
• Purpose: The data is intended to provide information on the physical properties of lunar regolith and heat transfer processes, which can support improved imaging, navigation, and hazard assessment for future missions.
• Principal Investigator: Andrew Ryan from the University of Arizona.

• Objective: To investigate the Moon’s internal heat flow.
• Methodology: LISTER will drill beneath the lunar surface, taking measurements of temperature changes and the thermal conductivity of subsurface materials at various depths.
• Background: A previous version of this instrument successfully collected subsurface thermal data during a CLPS delivery on the Blue Ghost Mission 1.
• Purpose: This investigation aims to quantify the heat generated by the Moon itself, contributing to an understanding of its thermal evolution and geological history.
• Principal Investigator: Seiichi Nagihara from Texas Tech University.

• Objective: To examine the Moon’s radiation environment directly from its surface.
• Methodology: SELINE will study incoming primary galactic cosmic rays and the secondary particles produced when they interact with lunar soil.
• Purpose: The collected data is intended to assess radiation risks for astronauts and equipment during extended lunar missions. It will also contribute to understanding space weather phenomena on airless planetary bodies and lunar planetary processes.
• Principal Investigator: Drew Turner from Johns Hopkins University.

These investigations support NASA’s broader Artemis strategy to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustained presence, thereby expanding lunar knowledge for future exploration and commercial development.