As soon as next year, NASA will launch a series of robotic commercial delivery missions to the moon in preparation for an astronaut lunar base.
The planned Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions aim to establish a ‘sustainable presence’ on the moon, paving the way for science and technology missions and, ultimately, human exploration.
According to the space agency, water ice on the lunar surface could even serve as rocket fuel, meaning the moon could become a pit stop on the way to more distant destinations.
NASA says the first trips, which could begin in 2019, will deliver instruments and technology to the surface, including devices from the former Resource Prospector concept that aimed to become the first mining expedition on another world.
As soon as next year, NASA will launch a series of robotic commercial delivery missions to the moon in preparation for an astronaut lunar base
‘We conducted a thorough science and engineering assessment of Resource Prospector and determined all four instruments are at a high technology readiness level, are appropriate for science on the moon, and will make flights on future Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions,’ said Dennis Andrucyk, deputy associate administrator Science ission Directorate, at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
‘These tools will provide important scientific data on various landing sites, and will help NASA better understand the lunar environment.’
The four projects will have a diverse set of tasks on the moon, NASA explains.
The Near Infrared Volatile Spectrometer Subsystem (NIRVISS) will monitor the lunar surface to scout for water and other volatile compounds.
The Neutron Spectrometer Subsystem (NSS), on the other hand, will look beneath the surface for traces of hydrogen.
There will also be a regolith and ice drill, and a Water Analysis and Volatile Extraction (WAVE) instrument that can heat up samples to quantify water and other compounds found beneath the surface.
The planned Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions aim to establish a ‘sustainable presence’ on the moon, paving the way for science and technology missions and, ultimately, human exploration. Artist’s impression pictured
‘We know there are volatiles at the poles on the moon, and quite frankly, that water ice could represent rocket fuel,’ said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.
‘If we have the capability to generate rocket fuel from the surface of the moon, and get them into orbit around the moon, we could use that to build a fueling depot.
‘If we want to make that happen though, we will need commercial partners.’
With the CLPS missions, NASA will take some of its first robotic steps bad on the moon ahead of plans for human exploration.
After the smaller lander missions, the space agency plans to launch the first of two larger demonstration landers in 2022, paving the way for landers that can carry a human crew.
These mid-sized landers will likely be built through partnerships with the public and private companies, NASA says.
‘We will renew and strengthen our commitment to American commercial space companies,’ Bridenstine says, ‘and NASA will lead the way as we once again explore the moon and look to Mars, and beyond.’