NASA’s New Lunar Mission: Ice-mining Experiment to be Launched in 2022

Nasa new lunar mission

NASA has announced that its ice-mining mission, scheduled to fly in 2022, will land on a ridge near Shackleton crater on the lunar South Pole, spot engineers and scientists have been evaluating for months. This region, known as the “Shackleton connecting ridge,” may hold ice beneath the surface, according to NASA data from spacecraft orbiting the Moon.

The region receives enough sunshine to power a lander for a 10-day mission, as well as a clear line of sight to Earth for constant communications. It’s also next to a little crater, which is perfect for a robotic outing. Experts from NASA, Arizona State University, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, Nokia, and Intuitive Machines used lunar remote sensing data to generate “ice-mining” maps of the lunar surface to choose the ultimate landing site.

The Polar Resources Ice-Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) will be linked to a robotic lander and will settle on the lunar surface. PRIME-1 is made up of a drill and a mass spectrometer, as well as a 4G/LTE communications network built by Nokia of America Corporation and Micro-Nova, an Intuitive Machines deployable hopper robot.

After landing, the PRIME-1 drill will attempt to dig up to three feet deep, retrieve lunar soil (called regolith), and deposit it on the surface for water analysis using The Regolith Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT) instrument. The MSolo (Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations) will monitor volatile gases that are easily ejected from TRIDENT-excavated material.

The first demonstration of locating and harvesting resources on the Moon will be PRIME-1. These technologies must be developed in order to create a stable, long-term presence in deep space, especially on the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis missions.

While PRIME-1 investigates the resources beneath the moon’s surface, Nokia will put its space-hardened 4G/LTE network to the test. Lunar Outpost’s small rover will travel more than a mile from the Nova-C lander to test Nokia’s wireless network at various distances. The lender will send data back to Earth while the rover communicates with a base station on Nova-C.

This experiment could pave the way for a commercial 4G/LTE system on the lunar surface for mission-critical communications. According to NASA, this includes communications, as well as high-definition video transmission from astronauts to base stations, vehicles to base stations, and more.

Niki Werkheiser, director of technology maturation for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said, “These early technology demonstrations employ innovative partnerships to provide valuable information about operating on and exploring the lunar surface.”

“The data will be used to influence future designs for in-situ resource utilization, mobility, communication, power, and dust mitigation capabilities,” Werkheiser said.

Apart from this, you can also read Entertainment, Tech, and Health-related articles here: Dave Portnoy net worth, Lionel Messi net worth, Keanu Reeves net worth, The Equalizer 3, The 100 Season 8, Gina Carano net worth, Bruno Mars net worth, KissAnime, Jim Carrey net worth, PDF Drive, How to delete Reddit Account, Sweet Home Season 2, How much are pearls worth, Rainbow Kiss, MovieRulz, Sex Education season 3, NFL Live Stream, Youtbe, Bailey Sarian Net Worth, Bollyshare, Afdah, Moviezwap, Y8, Jalshamoviez, Project Free TV, Kissasian, Holiday Season, Sears Credit Card, GoDaddy Email, Mangago, Jio Rockers, M4uHD, Hip dips, M4ufree, NBAstreams XYZ, CCleaner Browser review, Avocado Calories, Bear Grylls net worth, Highest Paid CEO, The 100 season 8, Sundar Pichai net worth, Grimes net worth, F95Zone, Sherlock Season 5, Homeland Season 9.


Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Related Articles

Top Trending

How to Spot AI Generated Photos Before You Share Them
How to Spot AI-Generated Photos Before You Share Them
3d virtual tour apps for real estate listings
10 Best 3D Virtual Tour Apps for Real Estate Listings
Follow-Up Rules for Outreach
8 Follow-Up Rules for Outreach That Isn't Annoying
How Brands Use Zero-Party Data From Quizzes and Polls
How Brands Use Zero-Party Data From Quizzes and Polls
how to homeschool with apps
How to Homeschool With Apps: Build a Digital Curriculum

Technology & AI

How to Spot AI Generated Photos Before You Share Them
How to Spot AI-Generated Photos Before You Share Them
Follow-Up Rules for Outreach
8 Follow-Up Rules for Outreach That Isn't Annoying
AI chatbots for study planning
12 Ways to Use AI Chatbots for Study Planning
Best Apps for Tracking Lost Luggage
10 Best Apps for Tracking Lost Luggage
Best AI Agents Small Businesses Can Use
10 Best AI Agents Small Businesses Can Deploy Today

GAMING

Mobile Gameplay Recording Apps
8 Apps for Recording and Editing Mobile Gameplay
Esports Legal Issues Every Player Should Understand
9 Legal Issues Every Esports Player Should Understand
Basketball Video Analysis Tools Coaches Use to Review Games
6 Video-Analysis Tools Coaches Use to Review Basketball Games
Blockchain Gaming Features
10 Blockchain Gaming Features That Give Players More Control
Twitch Alternatives for New Game Streamers
10 Best Twitch Alternatives for New Game Streamers

Business & Marketing

Crypto Token Launch Marketing
Crypto Token Launch Marketing: From Pre-Sale, TGE, Listing to Post-Launch
data risks for installing free browser extensions
9 Data Risks When Employees Install Free Browser Extensions
Crypto and Blockchain Trends to Watch
10 Crypto and Blockchain Trends to Watch in 2026
marketing books that aged well
10 Marketing Books That Aged Surprisingly Well
Registered Agent Services to Compare Before Forming an LLC
6 Registered Agent Services to Compare Before Forming an LLC

EdTech & E-Learning

how to homeschool with apps
How to Homeschool With Apps: Build a Digital Curriculum
assistive technology in early learning
What is Assistive Technology in Early Learning: Examples and Benefits
best typing programs for kids
10 Best Typing Programs for Kids: Free and Paid Options That Teach Real Skills
homework help apps for kids
10 Best Homework Help Apps That Don’t Do the Work for Them
combine books and apps for deeper learning
8 Ways to Combine Books and Apps for Deeper Learning

Software & Apps

3d virtual tour apps for real estate listings
10 Best 3D Virtual Tour Apps for Real Estate Listings
Best Apps for Tracking Lost Luggage
10 Best Apps for Tracking Lost Luggage
Apps to Watch Movies
7 Apps for Watching Movies Together Remotely
Apps to Identify Songs
8 Apps to Identify Songs Playing Around You
Best AI Agents Small Businesses Can Use
10 Best AI Agents Small Businesses Can Deploy Today