CU Boulder lab wins NASA lunar mission grant
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Instruments designed at the University of Colorado Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) will be part of NASA's effort to build the first-ever lunar space station.
Why it matters: The news comes as several other NASA projects involving CU Boulder have faced potential federal budget cuts — but this selection keeps Colorado's flagship university firmly in the space race.
The latest: NASA chose LASP's proposal — the DUst and plaSma environmenT survEyoR (DUSTER) — for its Artemis IV mission and awarded it $24.8 million.
- DUSTER includes two instruments: an electrostatic dust analyzer and the RElaxation SOunder and differentiaL VoltagE (RESOLVE) tool, which will measure particles hovering above the Moon's surface to determine what that near-lunar environment is made of.
Threat level: Lunar dust can be hazardous to astronauts' health and can compromise equipment and space suits.
- "We need to develop a complete picture of the dust and plasma environment at the lunar south pole and how it varies over time and location to ensure astronaut safety and the operation of exploration equipment," Xu Wang, senior researcher at LASP, said in a statement.
Context: Artemis IV builds on the Artemis III mission, which will mark humanity's first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years and the first crewed landing near the Moon's south pole.
What they're saying: "Building on LASP's long legacy of instrumentation, we are working to safeguard U.S. astronauts and lunar infrastructure while advancing scientific research that will help unravel the mysteries of our closest celestial neighbor," LASP director Bethany Ehlmann said.
The big picture: CU Boulder also leads NASA's Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission and plays a supporting role in the Juno mission to Jupiter.
- But both were eyed for possible cancellation amid proposed federal cuts to NASA's budget.