Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
NASA partners with Firefly Aerospace to explore the Gruithuisen Domes, ancient lava-formed structures, in a groundbreaking 2028 mission under its Artemis program.
The domes may hold secrets of how magma formed on the Moon without plate tectonics or water, key ingredients for such formations on Earth.
Firefly Aerospace, with a $179 million NASA contract, will deliver six experiments to the Moon, marking its fourth task under NASA’s lunar exploration initiatives.
NASA’s instruments will analyze lunar regolith, magma origins, and the Moon’s surface processes, shedding light on planetary evolution.
Tools like Heimdall cameras and robotic arms will test solar cells, measure radiation, and gather crucial data to aid future manned Moon missions.
For the first time, NASA’s CLPS mission will deploy mobile rovers, enabling groundbreaking studies across the Gruithuisen Domes and Sinus Viscositatus.
Dr. Kerri Donaldson Hanna leads an effort to compare lunar and terrestrial geologies, offering insight into early planetary processes.
Solar cells and neutron spectrometers will test energy systems and radiation levels, paving the way for sustainable lunar exploration.
NASA’s CLPS initiative fosters a lunar economy, turning the Moon into a testing ground for commercial innovation and human survival in space.