NASA to Film Blue Ghost’s Encounter with Moon’s Surface

NASA’s SCALPSS 1.1: A Leap Forward in Lunar Exploration

The Moon is once again in the spotlight as NASA prepares to embark on another mission to gather crucial data from Earth’s only natural satellite. This mission marks the second deployment within a year of a sophisticated NASA technology designed to study the interaction between lunar landers’ rocket plumes and the Moon’s surface. This cutting-edge research initiative aims to benefit humanity by enhancing our understanding of lunar landings and their effects on the Moon’s environment.

Developed at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS) is an advanced camera system strategically placed around the base of a lunar lander. The purpose of SCALPSS is to capture detailed imagery during and after the descent and touchdown phases of the lunar landing. Utilizing a technique known as stereo photogrammetry, scientists at Langley will process overlapping images captured by SCALPSS 1.1, which is mounted on Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander, to create a three-dimensional view of the Moon’s surface. This method offers a precise visualization of how the surface changes due to the lander’s activities.

An earlier iteration, SCALPSS 1.0, was installed on Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus spacecraft that landed on the Moon last February. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances during the landing, SCALPSS 1.0 couldn’t capture the desired imagery of the plume-surface interaction. However, the team successfully operated the equipment during transit and after landing, bolstering confidence in the hardware set for SCALPSS 1.1.

The SCALPSS 1.1 system has been upgraded with two additional cameras, making a total of six compared to the four on its predecessor. This enhancement will enable the cameras to start taking images from a higher altitude, before the plume-surface interaction begins, allowing for a more comprehensive before-and-after analysis.

Understanding the Importance of Lunar Surface Imagery

These images are not just a technological feat; they are essential for future lunar missions. As more spacecraft and scientific payloads land on the Moon, the ability to predict and understand the effects of these landings becomes critical. Researchers are particularly interested in how much the lunar surface, composed of a layer called regolith, is altered during these events.

The SCALPSS project stands as the first dedicated instrument to monitor plume-surface interaction on the Moon in real-time. This capability will provide valuable insights into several questions: How significantly does the surface change during a landing? What happens to the lunar soil or regolith when a lander touches down? These questions are crucial as we continue to explore and utilize the Moon for scientific and possibly commercial purposes.

“If we’re placing things – landers, habitats, etc. – near each other, we could be sandblasting what’s next to us, so that’s going to drive requirements on protecting those other assets on the surface, which could add mass, and that mass ripples through the architecture,” explained Michelle Munk, principal investigator for SCALPSS and acting chief architect for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. “It’s all part of an integrated engineering problem.”

The Future of Lunar Exploration under the Artemis Campaign

SCALPSS 1.1 is part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, aimed at establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon. In collaboration with commercial and international partners, NASA is working to create the infrastructure necessary for extended lunar exploration. This mission is a part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which will deliver more than 200 pounds of NASA science experiments and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface.

Throughout the mission, SCALPSS 1.1 will capture images from the moment the lander’s plume begins interacting with the surface until after the landing is complete. These images will be stored on a small onboard data unit before being transmitted to the lander for downlink back to Earth. The team anticipates needing several months to process the images, validate the data, and generate comprehensive 3D digital elevation maps of the surface.

Anticipating and Analyzing Lander-Induced Erosion

The imagery and data collected by SCALPSS 1.1 will help researchers anticipate the extent of lander-induced erosion, which is not expected to be very deep — at least not this time. As Rob Maddock, SCALPSS project manager at Langley, noted, “Even if you look at the old Apollo images — and the Apollo crewed landers were larger than these new robotic landers — you have to look really closely to see where the erosion took place. We’re anticipating something on the order of centimeters deep — maybe an inch. It really depends on the landing site and how deep the regolith is and where the bedrock is.”

This mission offers researchers a chance to evaluate the performance of SCALPSS as the United States progresses with human landing systems as part of NASA’s long-term plans to explore more of the lunar surface. Maddock further elaborated, “Those are going to be much larger than even Apollo. Those are large engines, and they could conceivably dig some good-sized holes. So that’s what we’re doing. We’re collecting data we can use to validate the models that are predicting what will happen.”

The Role of Commercial Partnerships in Lunar Exploration

The SCALPSS 1.1 project is financed by the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Development Program. NASA is actively collaborating with several American companies to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface under the CLPS initiative. This program allows various companies from a select group of vendors to bid on the opportunity to deliver payloads for NASA. These responsibilities include everything from payload integration and operations to launching from Earth and landing on the Moon’s surface.

In conclusion, the SCALPSS 1.1 mission represents a significant step forward in our understanding of lunar landings and their environmental impacts. As we advance in our lunar exploration endeavors, the insights gained from this mission will be invaluable in ensuring the success and sustainability of future missions, ultimately bringing us closer to establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon. For more detailed information, you can visit NASA’s official website.

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