NASA has selected a team of geologists to develop a survey plan for the first manned Moon mission in over 50 years. NASA’s Artemis III mission will land astronauts near the moon’s South Pole, including the first woman to set foot on the moon, to advance scientific exploration and pave the way for long-term lunar exploration.

NASA’s deputy director for science, Dr. “Science is one of Artemis’ pillars,” said Nicky Fox. “This team will be responsible for the geological planning for the first human return to the lunar surface in over 50 years, enabling us to maximize the scientific return of Artemis and improve our understanding of our nearest celestial neighbor.”

D., of Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. The Artemis III team of geologists, led by Brett Deneuve, will work with the agency to define the mission’s geological science objectives and design the surface geological campaign that Artemis III will conduct. . These targets will be determined in accordance with Artemis’ established scientific priorities.

“The selection of this team marks an important step in our efforts to optimize the science return of Artemis III. Dr. Joel Kearns, Deputy Director of Lunar Exploration, said: “This team of distinguished lunar scientists, all critical to the successful application of science during Artemis III. NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC “By establishing the Artemis III Geology Group, we enable NASA to develop a robust lunar science program.”

Other researchers of the Artemis III geological group:

• Lauren Edgar (Assistant Principal Investigator), US Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia
• Dr. Bradley JoliffeWashington University in St. Louis, Missouri
• Doctor Caleb FassettJohns Hopkins University
• Dana HurleyJohns Hopkins University
• Doctor Gordon OsinskiUniversity of Western Ontario in London
• Dr. Jennifer HeldmannNASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California
• Doctor Jose HurtadoUniversity of Texas at El Paso
• Julian GrossRutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey
• Catherine JoyUniversity of Manchester, United Kingdom
• Doctor Mark RobinsonArizona State University in Tempe
• Doctor Yang LiuNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California

The geology team’s primary focus will be to plan science activities for the Artemis III astronauts during lunar raids, which will include geological field walks, observations, and the collection of lunar samples, imagery, and scientific measurements. The team will also support real-time documentation and initial evaluation of science data during astronauts’ missions to the Moon. Members will then evaluate data returned by the mission, including preliminary research and cataloging the first lunar samples collected by NASA since 1972.

“The Artemis III geology team will have the unique opportunity to analyze the first samples taken from the Moon’s south pole region, which will help us not only uncover new information about the formation of our Solar System, but also plan and establish future Artemis missions. NASA’s “It’s a long-term presence on the Moon,” said Jim Free, deputy director of the Research Systems Office of .

Collecting 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 the fundamental planetary processes at work in the Solar System and beyond. Analysis of the activities of a group of geologists can also help gain important information about the depth, distribution and composition of ice at the Moon’s south pole. This information is valuable both scientifically and resourcefully because oxygen and hydrogen can be extracted from lunar ice for use in life support systems and fuel.

Selected through a double anonymous peer review process, the team will have a $5.1 million budget to manage the geology of Artemis III.

Members of this geology team are part of the larger Artemis science team, and Artemis III project scientist Dr. They will work in coordination with Noah Petro and NASA’s internal Artemis science team, as well as participating scientists and deployed payload teams selected from future or current proposals.

With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first black human on the Moon and maintain a long-term permanent presence on the Moon to explore more than ever before and prepare for future astronaut missions to Mars. Source