NASA has selected the geology team that will develop the surface science plan for the first crewed lunar landing mission in more than 50 years. NASA's Artemis III mission will land astronauts, including the first woman to land on the Moon, near the lunar South Pole to advance scientific discovery and pave the way for long-term lunar exploration.
"Science is one of the pillars of Artemis," said Dr. Nicky Fox, NASA Science Associate Administrator. "This team will be responsible for leading the geology planning for humanity's first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years, ensuring that we maximize the science return of Artemis and grow in our understanding of our nearest celestial neighbor."
The Artemis III Geology Team, led by principal investigator Dr. Brett Denevi of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, will work with the agency to determine the mission's geological science objectives and design the geology surface campaign that the Artemis astronauts will carry out on the Moon during this historic mission. These objectives will be defined in accordance with the established Artemis science priorities.
"Selecting this team marks an important step in our efforts to optimize the science return of Artemis III. This team of well-respected lunar scientists has demonstrated experience with science operations, sample analysis, and operational flexibility, all of which is critical for the successful incorporation of science during Artemis III," said Dr. Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
"With the establishment of the Artemis III Geology Team, we are ensuring that NASA will build a strong lunar science program."
The other co-investigators on the Artemis III Geology Team are:
Dr. Lauren Edgar (deputy principal investigator), U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia
Dr. Bradley Jolliff, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
Dr. Caleb Fassett, Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Dana Hurley, Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Gordon Osinski, University of Western Ontario in London
Dr. Jennifer Heldmann, NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California
Dr. Jose Hurtado, University of Texas at El Paso
Dr. Juliane Gross, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey
Dr. Katherine Joy, University of Manchester in the United Kingdom
Dr. Mark Robinson, Arizona State University in Tempe
Dr. Yang Liu, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California
The Geology Team's focus will be to plan the Artemis III astronauts' science activities during their moonwalks, which will include field geology traverses, observations, and the collection of lunar samples, imagery, and scientific measurements. The team will also support the real-time documentation and initial assessment of scientific data during astronaut lunar operations. Members will then evaluate the data returned by the mission, including preliminary examination and cataloguing of the first lunar samples collected by NASA since 1972.
"The Artemis III Geology Team will have the unique opportunity to analyze the first-ever samples from the lunar south pole region, helping us not only to unlock new information about the formation of our Solar System, but also with planning for future Artemis missions and establishing a long-term lunar presence," said Jim Free, Associate Administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directora
te.
The collection of samples and data from this region, which contains some of the oldest parts of the Moon, estimated to be at least 3.85 billion years old, will help scientists better understand fundamental planetary processes that operate across the solar system and beyond.
The resulting analysis from the geology team's activities could also help yield important information about the depth, distribution, and composition of ice at the Moon's South Pole. This information is valuable from both a scientific and a resource perspective because oxygen and hydrogen can be extracted from lunar ice to be used for life support systems and fuel.
The team, which was chosen through a dual-anonymous peer review process, will have a budget of $5.1 million to lead the geology for Artemis III.
The members of this geology team are part of the broader Artemis Science Team and will work in coordination with Artemis III Project Scientist, Dr. Noah Petro, and the NASA Artemis Internal Science Team, as well as participating scientists, and deployed payload teams that will be selected from future or ongoing competitive solicitations.
Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, establishing a long-term, sustainable lunar presence to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before and prepare for future astronaut missions to Mars.
Artificial Intelligence Analysis
Defense Industry Analyst:
8/10
This article is relevant to the defense industry as it provides an overview of NASAs selection of the geology team for its upcoming Artemis III mission, which will be the first crewed lunar landing mission in more than 50 years. As the mission will be responsible for advancing scientific discovery and paving the way for long-term lunar exploration, this selection is of particular importance for the defense industry. The article outlines the objectives of the mission and the qualifications of the team, which further emphasizes the significance of the selection. This article is highly relevant to the defense industry and its implications should be taken into consideration.
Stock Market Analyst:
6/10
This article is moderately relevant to stock market analysts as it provides some insight into the selection of the geology team for the upcoming Artemis III mission. Although the mission holds great importance for the defense industry, its implications for the stock market are not made clear. However, the article does provide some insight into the objectives of the mission and the qualifications of the team, which may be useful for stock market analysts.
General Industry Analyst:
7/10
This article is of moderate relevance for general industry analysts as it provides information on the selection of the geology team for the upcoming Artemis III mission. The mission, which will be the first crewed lunar landing mission in more than 50 years, will be important for advancing scientific discovery and paving the way for long-term lunar exploration. The article outlines the objectives of the mission and the qualifications of the team, which may be useful for general industry analysts.
Analyst Summary
:
NASA has recently selected the geology team for its upcoming Artemis III mission, the first crewed lunar landing mission in more than 50 years. Led by principal investigator Dr. Brett Denevi of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, the team will be responsible for defining the missions geological science objectives and designing the geology surface campaign that the Artemis astronauts will carry out on the Moon during this historic mission. This selection is highly relevant to the defense industry, as it will advance scientific discovery and pave the way for long-term lunar exploration. It is of moderate relevance to stock market and general industry analysts, as the article provides some insight into the objectives of the mission and the qualifications of the team.
When compared to significant events and trends in the space and defense industry over the past 25 years, this articles content is consistent with the increased focus on space exploration and the development of new technologies to advance scientific discovery. Furthermore, the missions objectives reflect the goal of long-term lunar exploration and the need to maximize the science return of Artemis.
In order to further understand the implications of the article, analysts may pose the following investigative questions:
- 1. What technologies are being developed for the Artemis III mission?
- 2. What are the expected long-term impacts of the mission?
- 3.
How will the mission advance scientific discovery? 4. How will the mission inform future space exploration efforts?
5. What measures are being taken to ensure the missions success?
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