In a significant leap for lunar exploration, NASA has partnered with Firefly Aerospace to send six experiments to the Moon’s Gruithuisen Domes by 2028, exploring ancient lava flows and testing new technologies that pave the way for future manned missions.
NASA is taking another step forward in its mission to explore more of the Moon, awarding Firefly Aerospace a $179 million contract to deliver six scientific experiments to the lunar surface. This marks Firefly’s fourth task order under NASA’s lunar exploration initiatives and focuses on a 2028 landing at the Gruithuisen Domes, a unique geological site on the Moon’s near side.
As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, Firefly will transport a collection of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations through the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The Gruithuisen Domes, thought to be formed by ancient lava flows, present a unique opportunity to study planetary processes and evolution. By leveraging CLPS, NASA is expanding our understanding of the Moon’s environment while laying the groundwork for future human missions as part of its broader Moon to Mars exploration strategy.
Advancing Lunar Science and Technology
“The CLPS initiative carries out U.S. scientific and technical studies on the surface of the Moon by robot explorers. As NASA prepares for future human exploration of the Moon, the CLPS initiative continues to support a growing lunar economy with American companies,” said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Understanding the formation of the Gruithuisen Domes, as well as the ancient lava flows surrounding the landing site, will help the U.S. answer important questions about the lunar surface.”
Firefly’s first lunar delivery is scheduled to launch no earlier than mid-January 2025 and will land near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, on the northeast quadrant of the Moon’s near side. Firefly’s second lunar mission includes two task orders: a lunar orbit drop-off of a satellite combined with a delivery to the lunar surface on the far side and a delivery of a lunar orbital calibration source, scheduled in 2026.
Exploring Geological Mysteries of the Moon
This new delivery in 2028 will send payloads to the Gruithuisen Domes and the nearby Sinus Viscositatus. The Gruithuisen Domes have long been suspected to be formed by a magma rich in silica, similar in composition to granite. Granitic rocks form easily on Earth due to plate tectonics and oceans of water. The Moon lacks these key ingredients, so lunar scientists have been left to wonder how these domes formed and evolved over time. For the first time, as part of this task order, NASA also has contracted to provide “mobility,” or roving, for some of the scientific instruments on the lunar surface after landing. This will enable new types of U.S. scientific investigations from CLPS.
“Firefly will deliver six instruments to understand the landing site and surrounding vicinity,” said Chris Culbert, manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “These instruments will study geologic processes and lunar regolith, test solar cells, and characterize the neutron radiation environment, supplying invaluable information as NASA works to establish a long-term presence on the Moon.”
Pioneering Lunar Instruments and Technologies
The instruments, collectively expected to be about 215 pounds (97 kilograms) in mass, include:
- Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer, which consists of two stationary and three mobile instruments, will study rocks and regoliths on the summit of one of the domes to determine their origin and better understand geologic processes of early planetary bodies. The principal investigator is Dr. Kerri Donaldson Hanna of the University of Central Florida, Orlando.
- Heimdall is a flexible camera system that will be used to take pictures of the landing site from above the horizon to the ground directly below the lander. The principal investigator is Dr. R. Aileen Yingst of the Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona.
- Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering, and Probing of Lunar Regolith is a robotic arm that will collect samples of lunar regolith and use a robotic scoop to filter and isolate particles of different sizes. The sampling technology will use a flight spare from the Mars Exploration Rover project. The principal investigator is Sean Dougherty of Maxar Technologies, Westminster, Colorado.
- Low-frequency Radio Observations from the Near Side Lunar Surface is designed to observe the Moon’s surface environment in radio frequencies, to determine whether natural and human-generated activity near the surface interferes with science. The project is headed up by Natchimuthuk Gopalswamy of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
- Photovoltaic Investigation on the Lunar Surface will carry a set of the latest solar cells for a technology demonstration of light-to-electricity power conversion for future missions. The experiment will also collect data on the electrical charging environment of the lunar surface using a small array of solar cells. The principal investigator is Jeremiah McNatt from NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.
- Neutron Measurements at the Lunar Surface is a neutron spectrometer that will characterize the surface neutron radiation environment, monitor hydrogen, and provide constraints on elemental composition. The principal investigator is Dr. Heidi Haviland of NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative partners with American companies to provide lunar landing and surface operations. Through CLPS, the agency sends scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon, advancing science, exploration, and commercial opportunities. By maintaining a steady schedule of lunar missions, NASA supports the development of a thriving lunar economy while tapping into the innovative potential of the commercial space sector. Two CLPS missions are set for launch in early 2025, carrying NASA payloads to the Moon’s near side and south polar region, respectively.
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