NASA has selected three new scientific instrument suites as part of the PRISM program to support lunar exploration. These payloads will be delivered to the Moon via commercial landers under the CLPS initiative, contributing to the broader Moon Base project.
The LEMS-SP station will be deployed at the lunar south pole for long-term environmental monitoring. It is designed to track micrometeoroid impacts, analyze the thin lunar atmosphere for volatile substances, and record seismic activity to assess structural risks for future lunar facilities.
The GIMLI suite is headed to the Marius Hills pit to investigate subsurface lava tubes. Researchers aim to determine if these natural voids connect to larger cavities, which could serve as protective shelters for astronauts against radiation, extreme temperatures, and debris.
The DISCO instrument will conduct direct measurements of ice hidden within permanently shadowed regions. It will also analyze how the lunar regolith reacts to rocket exhaust, providing critical data for resource utilization and planning future human missions, including those to Mars.
