NASA has chosen Intuitive Machines for a 2027 mission that will explore the Moon in greater detail and help answer critical questions about the location and abundance of volatiles on the lunar surface.
Volatiles, such as water ice, are chemical substances that can evaporate or vaporize under specific conditions. The Prospect suite of instruments is designed to drill up to at least one meter below the lunar surface, retrieve samples, and analyze them in a mini laboratory.
This combination of robotic drilling and sample analysis seeks to identify volatiles trapped under the surface at extremely low temperatures, reaching down to - 150 C.
Europe's significant contribution will be transported on Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lunar lander, along with five other U.S. instruments. These include retroreflectors for locating landing sites on the Moon and yeast experiments to study responses to radiation and gravity. Altogether, the six instruments will weigh approximately 80 kg.
Prospect is part of an international effort to identify potential lunar resources that could support a sustainable, long-term human presence on the Moon.
Targeting lunar resources for future exploration
Water is a primary target, as recent orbital measurements suggest the presence of frozen water at or below the surface, especially in the lunar polar regions. Understanding the quantity and accessibility of this water is crucial for planning future missions that could utilize local resources.
"Prospect joins a new wave of lunar science and exploration that could open the door to the use of lunar resources. For example, extracting oxygen directly from lunar rocks and dust could be an efficient way to supply oxygen for human habitats or spacecraft propulsion," says Richard Fisackerly, Prospect project manager.
He adds, "Besides their potential as resources, lunar volatiles would also represent an important component of the lunar regolith - the layer of loose dust and fragmented rock on the Moon's surface. Prospect can further our understanding of the fundamental science of the Moon and its environment."
Drilling and sample analysis
The robotic drill, named ProSEED, will reach depths of up to one meter beneath the lunar surface. Subsurface temperatures are expected to be below - 100 C, conditions that are conducive to the stability of water ice. The drill is equipped with a multispectral imager and a permittivity sensor to aid in the remote detection and analysis of volatiles, as well as the mineral composition of the regolith at the landing site.
The miniaturized laboratory, ProSPA, will receive the samples from the drill via a carousel system with multiple ovens. These samples will be sealed and heated to release the cold-trapped volatiles. ProSPA will then measure the composition and quantity of the released gases, providing data on lunar volatiles. Additionally, ProSPA will test specific processes that could be utilized for resource extraction in future missions.
Advancing lunar exploration
The ProSEED drill has already undergone rigorous testing in Italy, including trials at extremely low temperatures, under low pressure, and using a mixture of lunar regolith simulant and water ice. These tests have confirmed the drill's ability to penetrate hard material and successfully retrieve samples.
Prospect is being developed for ESA by a wide-ranging industrial team, with Leonardo in Italy serving as the prime contractor and technical lead for the ProSEED drill. The Open University in the UK leads the development of the ProSPA instrument.
"This achievement is an important confirmation of Leonardo's technological excellence in space robotics, a result of the experience gained through developing drills and sampling systems for the Rosetta and ExoMars missions," says Francesco Rizzi, senior vice-president of Space Line of Business at Leonardo.
Simeon Barber, ProSPA project lead at The Open University, shared his excitement: "After more than a decade of developing the ProSPA concept and instrument, our team is super-excited to be hitching a ride to the Moon. We look forward to analyzing fresh samples which might contain ancient reserves of water and other ices. We can't wait to unravel the mysteries of this extreme environment, and discover its potential to support future exploration missions."
Prospect stands for Package for Resource Observation and In-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Characterization and Testing.
Related Links
Prospect at ESA
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more
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