Mon Jul 14 16:00:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
NASA has selected three scientific instruments to further lunar exploration as part of the Artemis program. Two instruments, AIRES and L-MAPS, will be integrated onto the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), the first crewed lunar rover in over 50 years. AIRES will map lunar minerals and volatiles, while L-MAPS will probe the subsurface for ice and measure temperature and density. The third instrument, UCIS-Moon, will orbit the Moon, providing a regional context for the LTV’s findings, mapping lunar geology and volatiles, and identifying areas for sample collection. These instruments will help characterize lunar resources and contribute to our understanding of the Moon and rocky worlds in our solar system.
**News Article:**
**NASA Gears Up Lunar Exploration with New Instruments for Artemis Rover**
WASHINGTON – NASA is equipping its upcoming Artemis missions with three new scientific instruments designed to provide unprecedented insights into the Moon’s composition and resources. Two of these instruments will be integrated onto the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), a crewed rover marking humanity’s return to driving on the lunar surface after more than half a century.
“The Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle will transport humanity farther than ever before across the lunar frontier on an epic journey of scientific exploration and discovery,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
The Artemis Infrared Reflectance and Emission Spectrometer (AIRES) will identify and map lunar minerals and volatiles, crucial for understanding the Moon’s history and potential resources. The Lunar Microwave Active-Passive Spectrometer (L-MAPS) will peer beneath the surface, searching for ice deposits and analyzing the Moon’s subsurface structure down to 131 feet (40 meters). Together, these instruments will create a comprehensive picture of the lunar landscape.
Adding to the investigation, the Ultra-Compact Imaging Spectrometer for the Moon (UCIS-Moon) will orbit the Moon, providing a broad regional context to the data collected by the LTV. It will map the Moon’s geology and volatiles from above, identifying valuable areas for astronaut sampling and measuring the effects of human activity on the Moon.
NASA anticipates selecting the LTV vendor by the end of 2025. The Artemis program aims to address critical scientific questions about the Moon and establish a sustainable presence to pave the way for future missions to Mars.
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