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Nasa's Polar Ice Experiment Paves Way for Future Moon Missions
By Stephanie Plucinsky, NASA
Nasa's Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) is preparing to explore the moon's subsurface and analyze where lunar resources may reside. The experiment's two key instruments will demonstrate our ability to extract and analyze lunar soil to better understand the lunar environment and subsurface resources, paving the way for sustainable human exploration under the agency's Artemis campaign for the benefit of all.
Experiment Overview
The two instruments involved in the PRIME-1 mission will work in tandem: The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrains (TRIDENT) will drill into the moon's surface to collect samples, while the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) will analyze these samples to determine the gas composition released across the sampling depth. This technology will provide valuable data that will help us better understand the moon's surface and how to work with and on it.
Key Instruments
TRIDENT
The TRIDENT drill is a rotary percussive drill designed to excavate lunar regolith and subsurface material up to 3.3 feet (1 meter) deep. This drill will extract samples approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in length, allowing scientists to analyze how trapped and frozen gases are distributed at different depths below the surface.
"The ability to drill and analyze samples at the same time allows us to gather insights that will shape the future of lunar resource utilization," said Jackie Quinn, PRIME-1 project manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
MSOLO
The Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer developed by INFICON and modified for space flight at Kennedy. It will analyze any gas released from the TRIDENT-drilled samples, seeking the potential presence of water ice and other gases trapped beneath the surface. These measurements will help scientists understand the moon's potential for resource utilization.
Significance of the Experiment
Human exploration of the moon and deep space will depend on making good use of local resources to produce life-sustaining supplies necessary to live and work on another planetary body. The PRIME-1 experiment is one of NASA's payloads aboard the next lunar delivery through NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, set to launch from the agency's Kennedy Space Center no earlier than Wednesday, February 26, on Intuitive Machines' Athena lunar lander and explore the lunar soil in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the moon's South Pole.
Future Implications
The ongoing exploration of the Moon through missions like PRIME-1 is essential to understanding potential lunar resources that could support future human endeavors on the Moon and beyond. The strategic analysis of lunar substrates promises to yield crucial insights about the moon's geology, which ensures that sustainable practices are integrated into our return to the Moon.
Nasa's exploration of sensible and sustainable practices with lunar resources positions humanity to return to the Moon effectively, making future Mars missions more feasible as well. Understanding how to tap into lunar resources will be invaluable as humanity aims to become an interplanetary species.
For More Information
To learn more about NASA's Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1, visit the following:
References
This document provides a summary of the ongoing research and technological advancements as part of NASA's efforts. Special thanks and acknowledgments to the NASA team and partners involved in the development and planning of the PRIME-1 mission.
“The PRIME-1 technology will provide crucial data for understanding the lunar environment and resource utilization.” – Jackie Quinn, PRIME-1 Project Manager
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