NASA Adds New Science Investigations for Moon Base

NASA has announced the selection of three new scientific investigations for its Moon Base program. These payloads will be delivered to the lunar surface using the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The investigations aim to advance knowledge of the Moon and pave the way for a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.

The first payload, the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station – South Pole (LEMS-SP), will serve as a long-term environmental and hazard monitoring station. It will monitor falling micrometeoroids, track the abundance of volatile materials, and use a short-period seismometer to detect seismic events, providing critical hazard assessments for Moon Base hardware.

The second payload, Geophysical Investigation for Mapping Lunar Interior (GIMLI), will be deployed at the Marius Hills Pit on the lunar surface. Its goal is to hunt for subterranean lava tubes and aid in understanding fundamental lunar volcanic processes. Confirming the existence of these lava tubes could provide future astronauts with ready-made protection from extreme temperatures and harmful radiation.

The third payload, Distribution of Ice and Surface Characteristics Observatory (DISCO), will provide the first direct, on-the-ground measurements of ice hidden in lunar micro-cold traps. It will also study how the lunar surface behaves and pinpoint where ice exists, helping NASA design safe surface operations and develop technologies to utilize lunar ice resources for future Moon Base operations.