PRISM
The Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon (PRISM) is a NASA program that sends instrument suites (i.e. payloads) to the Moon on Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) landers and rovers to conduct scientific investigations at key locations on the surface of the Moon.
The aim is to learn as much as possible about the Moon and its surface environment before NASA’s Artemis program prepares to send astronauts, including the first female astronaut, to the Moon.
PRISM Payloads
| Payload | PRISM Call | CLPS | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunar Vertex | PRISM-1 | CP-11 | Investigate the origin of the lunar swirl and its magnetic field anomaly at Reiner Gamma |
| Farside Seismic Suite (FSS) | PRISM-1 | CP-12 | Investigate the deep lunar structure and the difference between near and farside activity, and evaluate the current micrometeorite impact rate and local tectonic activity in Schrödinger Basin |
| Lunar Interior Temperature and Materials Suite (LITMS) | PRISM-1 | CP-12 | Investigate the heat flow and electrical conductivity of the lunar interior in Schrödinger Basin |
| Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) | PRISM-2 | CP-21 | Measure the composition and physical properties of the rocks and regolith making up the Gruithuisen Domes to learn about silicic volcanism on the Moon |
| Lunar Explorer Instrument for space biology Applications (LEIA) | PRISM-2 | CP-22 | Investigate the biological response of yeast to the lunar environment and measure the radiation levels at the surface of the South Pole |
| Dating an Irregular Mare Patch with a Lunar Explorer (DIMPLE) | PRISM-3 | CP-32 | Establish the age and geochemistry of the Ina Irregular Mare Patch and verify the duration of lunar volcanic activity |
PRISM Payloads
- PRISM Call: PRISM-1
- CLPS: CP-11
- Goals: Investigate the origin of the lunar swirl and its magnetic field anomaly at Reiner Gamma
- PRISM Call: PRISM-1
- CLPS: CP-12
- Goals: Investigate the deep lunar structure and the difference between near and farside activity, and evaluate the current micrometeorite impact rate and local tectonic activity in Schrödinger Basin
Lunar Interior Temperature and Materials Suite (LITMS)
- PRISM Call: PRISM-1
- CLPS: CP-11
- Goals: Investigate the heat flow and electrical conductivity of the lunar interior in Schrödinger Basin
Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE)
- PRISM Call: PRISM-2
- CLPS: CP-21
- Goals: Measure the composition and physical properties of the rocks and regolith making up the Gruithuisen Domes to learn about silicic volcanism on the Moon
Lunar Explorer Instrument for space biology Applications (LEIA)
- PRISM Call: PRISM-2
- CLPS: CP-22
- Goals: Investigate the biological response of yeast to the lunar environment and measure the radiation levels at the surface of the South Pole
Dating an Irregular Mare Patch with a Lunar Explorer (DIMPLE)
- PRISM Call: PRISM-3
- CLPS: CP-32
- Goals: Establish the age and geochemistry of the Ina Irregular Mare Patch and verify the duration of lunar volcanic activity
CLPS
The Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative is a new way of sending NASA missions to the Moon. U.S. aerospace companies bid on delivering NASA payloads, including PRISM payloads, to the Moon. These missions include payload integration and operations, launching from the Earth, and softly landing on the lunar surface.
Each CLPS mission is assigned a task order and a code to identify it; Lunar-VISE is the primary payload transported by task order CP-21. Learn more about the other CP-21 payloads below.
CP-21 Payloads
| Payload | PI Affiliation | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Heimdall | Planetary Science Institute | Model the properties of the lunar regolith and characterize and map geologic features, providing inputs to models of geology and environment, as well as quantitative data on slopes, elevations, and block populations |
| Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) |
University of Central Florida | Map local variations in composition and correlate to rock and regolith properties, surface features, and dome morphology, and provide context for orbital measurements of composition and thermophysical properties |
| Neutron Measurements at the Lunar Surface (NMLS) | NASA Marshall Space Flight Center | Determine the amount of neutron radiation at the surface of the Moon by measuring the thermal and epithermal count rates |
| Photovoltaic Investigation on the Lunar Surface (PILS) | NASA Glenn Research Center | Determine performance and health checks of solar cells and terrestrial silicon cells over a lunar day and measure the localized charging environment on a small solar array by collection of charge deposited on solar cell cover glass |
| Radio-wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES) | NASA Goddard Space Flight Center & New Mexico State University | Measure the electron density in the local near-surface plasma via the local electron plasma frequency oscillation, observe solar and planetary radio waves from a lunar surface observatory, detect terrestrial natural auroral and human-made radio emissions to assess the Earth as a ‘noisy’ radio source, and sense interplanetary and ‘slow moving’ lunar dust via grain contacts with the antenna |
| Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering & Probing of Lunar Regolith (SAMPLR) | Maxar | Demonstrate the next generation Instrument Deployment Device (IDD) on the lunar surface, capture regolith geotechnical data with the penetrometer, and demonstrate regolith sieve-scoop to isolate and deliver desired particles to a lander or rover |
CP-21 Payloads
- PI Affliation: Planetary Science Institute
- Objectives: Model the properties of the lunar regolith and characterize and map geologic features, providing inputs to models of geology and environment, as well as quantitative data on slopes, elevations, and block populations
Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE)
- PI Affliation: University of Central Florida
- Objectives: Map local variations in composition and correlate to rock and regolith properties, surface features, and dome morphology, and provide context for orbital measurements of composition and thermophysical properties
Neutron Measurements at the Lunar Surface (NMLS)
- PI Affliation: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
- Objectives: Determine the amount of neutron radiation at the surface of the Moon by measuring the thermal and epithermal count rates
Photovoltaic Investigation on the Lunar Surface (PILS)
- PI Affliation: NASA Glenn Research Center
- Objectives: Determine performance and health checks of solar cells and terrestrial silicon cells over a lunar day and measure the localized charging environment on a small solar array by collection of charge deposited on solar cell cover glass
Radio-wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES)
- PI Affliation: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center & New Mexico State University
- Objectives: Measure the electron density in the local near-surface plasma via the local electron plasma frequency oscillation, observe solar and planetary radio waves from a lunar surface observatory, detect terrestrial natural auroral and human-made radio emissions to assess the Earth as a ‘noisy’ radio source, and sense interplanetary and ‘slow moving’ lunar dust via grain contacts with the antenna
Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering & Probing of Lunar Regolith (SAMPLR)
- PI Affliation: Maxar
- Objectives: Demonstrate the next generation Instrument Deployment Device (IDD) on the lunar surface, capture regolith geotechnical data with the penetrometer, and demonstrate regolith sieve-scoop to isolate and deliver desired particles to a lander or rover