NASA has selected three new lunar science expeditions to fly to the Moon as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services Initiative and Artemis Campaign, with delivery planned by 2028.
The payload will be provided by a U.S. private provider under the CLPS program and continues NASA’s strategy of partnering with industry to support scientific discovery and prepare for continued human exploration of the Moon.
Joel Kearns, deputy assistant administrator for Exploration in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, said the selection is based on NASA’s evolving approach to lunar science that leverages U.S. commercial innovation. He said the research will expand our understanding of the moon’s history and environment, while also helping future human safety, navigation and exploration beyond the moon.
One of the selected payloads is the 3D Lunar Infrared Analysis Luminescence Imager (EMILIA-3D), which generates a three-dimensional thermal model of the lunar surface. EMILIA-3D will use a thermal imager combined with a stereo visible-light camera to measure surface temperature and topographic properties to improve understanding of the lunar regolith and support more precise imaging and navigation. The lead researcher is Andrew Ryan of the University of Arizona.
Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER) will investigate the Moon’s internal heat flow by drilling below the surface and measuring temperature changes and thermal conductivity at multiple depths. A previous version of this instrument flew on the Blue Ghost Mission 1 CLPS delivery and successfully collected subsurface thermal data. The new study aims to further characterize the moon’s thermal history. The principal investigator is Seiichi Nagihara of Texas Tech University.
The third payload, Site-Independent Energy Lunar Ion and Neutron Environment (SELINE), will study the lunar radiation environment at the surface by measuring both primary galactic cosmic rays and secondary radiation produced by interaction with the lunar soil. This data will improve our understanding of planetary processes on the Moon and help inform space weather preparedness and astronaut safety on long-duration missions. The lead researcher is Drew Turner of Johns Hopkins University.
The study was selected through NASA’s Lunar Rover Payload and Research Call for Proposals and does not require a specific landing site. NASA plans to assign each payload to a future CLPS delivery mission.
Through the CLPS initiative, NASA continues to provide scientific instrumentation and technology demonstrations to the Moon, increasing capabilities for science, exploration, and future commercial development while supporting the growing lunar economy.