Lunar Surface Research

Key Takeaways

• 1

  CLIPS is revolutionizing lunar exploration through commercial partnerships.

  NASA is moving from one lunar mission per decade to one or two landings per year.

  Commercial partners provide increased flexibility and innovation, allowing NASA to take calculated risks that accelerate scientific and technological progress.

  The program fosters a growing commercial economy in the United States.

• 2

  Surface operations require intense teamwork and adaptability.

  Mission success often relies on the ability to pivot to 'contingency operations' when hardware behaves unexpectedly, such as landers touching down on their sides.

  Project scientists and commercial payload coordinators work in high-pressure environments to maximize science return despite off-nominal conditions.

• 3

  Scientific return is maximized through diverse, multi-instrument payloads.

  Recent missions have successfully demonstrated technologies for dust mitigation, subsurface thermal exploration, and navigation using GNSS signals at record-breaking distances.

  Data collection begins during the descent phase, providing critical insights into how engine plumes interact with lunar regolith.