6 min read<\/p>\n
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Rendering](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/clps-nova-d-1.png?w=1939\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nA rendering of the Intuitive Machines larger cargo class lunar lander is pictured above with the Honeybee Robotics lunar rover (lower right) and the Australian Space Agency\u2019s Roo-Ver lunar rover (lower left).<\/div>\nIntuitive Machines<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNASA has awarded Intuitive Machines of Houston, $180.4 million to deliver NASA-funded science and technology to the lunar surface as part of the agency\u2019s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program. This lunar delivery, which includes seven payloads \u2014 five of them NASA\u2019s \u2014 is expected to increase understanding of the chemical composition and structure of regolith, as well as the radiation environment in and around the South Pole region. This science will continue to build a sustainable human presence by future Artemis missions.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASA continues to progress lunar science and exploration by enabling commercial lunar landings,\u201d said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. \u201cThese science and technology investigations aim to support long-term sustainability and contribute to a deeper understanding of the lunar surface, test technologies, and prepare for future human missions at the South Pole.\u201d<\/p>\n
Intuitive Machines is responsible for delivering end-to-end payload services to the lunar surface, targeted to land at the Moon\u2019s South Pole region in 2030. This is the fifth CLPS contract for the company, which has delivered payloads to the Moon twice with their IM-1 and IM-2 missions.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs NASA prepares to send humans and more robotic missions to the Moon, regular CLPS deliveries will provide a better understanding of the exploration environment, accelerating progress toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon, setting the stage for eventual human missions to Mars,\u201d said Adam Schlesinger, manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston.<\/p>\n
The rovers and instruments, totaling 165 pounds (75 kilograms) in collective mass include:<\/p>\n
\n- Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) will use enhanced stereo imaging photogrammetry, active illumination, and ejecta impact detection sensors to capture the impact of the engine exhaust plume on lunar regolith as the lander descends on the Moon\u2019s surface. This payload flew on both Intuitive Machines\u2019 IM-1 and Firefly Aerospace\u2019s Blue Ghost Mission 1 and captured first of its kind imagery. The high-resolution stereo images will aid in creating models to predict lunar regolith erosion and ejecta characteristics, which is important as bigger, heavier spacecraft and hardware are delivered to the Moon near each other.
Lead organization: NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia<\/li>\n - Near-Infrared Volatiles Spectrometer System (NIRVSS) will observe light emitted or reflected by the lunar soil to help identify its composition. NIRVSS is designed to detect minerals and various types of ices that may be present. NIRVSS will also take high resolution images of the lunar soil and composition variability, which could help inform how ices interact with the lunar soil. The instrument successfully powered on and collected data while in flight on Astrobotic\u2019s Peregrine Mission One in 2024. NIRVSS aims to measure the surface temperature at fine scales, which may help determine where ice can exist or remain stable.
Lead organization: NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley<\/li>\n - Mass Spectrometer for Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) will characterize the makeup of volatiles (things that easily evaporate) in the environment around the lander following touchdown. The mass spectrometer demonstrated its gas analysis capabilities in lunar conditions during Intuitive Machines\u2019 IM-2 mission in 2025. MSolo measures low molecular weight volatiles, which can be used as resources on the lunar surface.
Lead organization: NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida<\/li>\n - Lunar Vehicle Radiation Dosimeter system (LVRaD), a suite of four radiation detectors, is designed to quantify the radiation environment on the lunar surface and assess its potential impacts of radiation on biology and the human body in preparation for future human-related activities on the Moon. Additional sensors will investigate volatiles and geological resources that will help us plan for long-term exploration, as well as gain insights into the Moon\u2019s formation and solar system evolution.
Lead organization: Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute<\/li>\n - Multifunctional Nanosensor Platform (MNP) is a highly compact and sensitive chemical analysis instrument designed to advance understanding of the lunar environment. It will investigate how exhaust plumes from a lander\u2019s engines interact with the lunar regolith by measuring volatile compounds over time and at varying distances from the landing site. These measurements will provide critical data to better understand plume-surface interactions and their effects, informing the design of safer, more sustainable landing systems and surface operations, directly supporting NASA\u2019s broader lunar exploration objectives. To enable these measurements, the MNP instrument will be integrated into the Australian Space Agency\u2019s rover (\u201cRoo-ver\u201d), a foundation services technology demonstration. The rover will showcase Australia\u2019s robotics capabilities, with the ability to traverse complex terrain and operate with limited human intervention. In doing so, Roo-ver will validate\u00a0key mobility and autonomy technologies in the lunar environment while serving as the enabling platform for MNP\u2019s scientific objectives.
Lead organization for MNP: NASA\u2019 Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland
Lead organization for Roover: Australian Space Agency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n- NASA\u2019s Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) is a small device that reflects laser beams transmitted by Moon orbiters or landing spacecraft to help them determine their orbit position or navigate to the surface. Made of eight quartz corner-cube prisms set into a dome-shaped aluminum frame, the array is passive, meaning it requires no power or maintenance. One LRA payload has already been delivered through CLPS to the surface of the Moon. These arrays will continue to be used to build a network of permanent location markers on the Moon for future exploration.
Lead development organization: NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/li>\n - \u201cSanctuary on the Moon\u201d is a lunar time capsule of 24 synthetic sapphire discs containing a curated archive of human civilization. The discs highlight over 100 billion micropixels of data including the history of science, technology, mathematics, architecture, culture, paleontology, art, literature, music, and the human genome. Sanctuary was developed in France.
Lead organization: Grapevine Productions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThrough NASA\u2019s CLPS initiative, lunar landing and surface operations services are purchased from American companies. By sending science and technology to the Moon, we continue to learn how to prepare for human exploration that could eventually take us to Mars.<\/p>\n
For more information about CLPS and Artemis:<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/clps<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n-end-<\/p>\n
Tiffany Blake
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2546
tiffany.n.blake@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\nKenna Pell \/ Ivry Artis
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov<\/a> \/ ivry.w.artis@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\nPowered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\nGet The Details…<\/a>
\nIvry Artis <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NASA has awarded Intuitive Machines of Houston, $180.4 million to deliver NASA-funded science and technology to the lunar surface as part of the agency\u2019s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program. This lunar delivery, which includes seven payloads \u2014 five of them NASA\u2019s \u2014 is expected to increase understanding of the chemical composition [\u2026] Continue reading
![\"Rendering](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/clps-nova-d-1.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>NASA has awarded Intuitive Machines of Houston, $180.4 million to deliver NASA-funded science and technology to the lunar surface as part of the agency\u2019s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program. This lunar delivery, which includes seven payloads \u2014 five of them NASA\u2019s \u2014 is expected to increase understanding of the chemical composition and structure of regolith, as well as the radiation environment in and around the South Pole region. This science will continue to build a sustainable human presence by future Artemis missions.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASA continues to progress lunar science and exploration by enabling commercial lunar landings,\u201d said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. \u201cThese science and technology investigations aim to support long-term sustainability and contribute to a deeper understanding of the lunar surface, test technologies, and prepare for future human missions at the South Pole.\u201d<\/p>\n
Intuitive Machines is responsible for delivering end-to-end payload services to the lunar surface, targeted to land at the Moon\u2019s South Pole region in 2030. This is the fifth CLPS contract for the company, which has delivered payloads to the Moon twice with their IM-1 and IM-2 missions.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs NASA prepares to send humans and more robotic missions to the Moon, regular CLPS deliveries will provide a better understanding of the exploration environment, accelerating progress toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon, setting the stage for eventual human missions to Mars,\u201d said Adam Schlesinger, manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston.<\/p>\n
The rovers and instruments, totaling 165 pounds (75 kilograms) in collective mass include:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) will use enhanced stereo imaging photogrammetry, active illumination, and ejecta impact detection sensors to capture the impact of the engine exhaust plume on lunar regolith as the lander descends on the Moon\u2019s surface. This payload flew on both Intuitive Machines\u2019 IM-1 and Firefly Aerospace\u2019s Blue Ghost Mission 1 and captured first of its kind imagery. The high-resolution stereo images will aid in creating models to predict lunar regolith erosion and ejecta characteristics, which is important as bigger, heavier spacecraft and hardware are delivered to the Moon near each other.
Lead organization: NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia<\/li>\n - Near-Infrared Volatiles Spectrometer System (NIRVSS) will observe light emitted or reflected by the lunar soil to help identify its composition. NIRVSS is designed to detect minerals and various types of ices that may be present. NIRVSS will also take high resolution images of the lunar soil and composition variability, which could help inform how ices interact with the lunar soil. The instrument successfully powered on and collected data while in flight on Astrobotic\u2019s Peregrine Mission One in 2024. NIRVSS aims to measure the surface temperature at fine scales, which may help determine where ice can exist or remain stable.
Lead organization: NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley<\/li>\n - Mass Spectrometer for Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) will characterize the makeup of volatiles (things that easily evaporate) in the environment around the lander following touchdown. The mass spectrometer demonstrated its gas analysis capabilities in lunar conditions during Intuitive Machines\u2019 IM-2 mission in 2025. MSolo measures low molecular weight volatiles, which can be used as resources on the lunar surface.
Lead organization: NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida<\/li>\n - Lunar Vehicle Radiation Dosimeter system (LVRaD), a suite of four radiation detectors, is designed to quantify the radiation environment on the lunar surface and assess its potential impacts of radiation on biology and the human body in preparation for future human-related activities on the Moon. Additional sensors will investigate volatiles and geological resources that will help us plan for long-term exploration, as well as gain insights into the Moon\u2019s formation and solar system evolution.
Lead organization: Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute<\/li>\n - Multifunctional Nanosensor Platform (MNP) is a highly compact and sensitive chemical analysis instrument designed to advance understanding of the lunar environment. It will investigate how exhaust plumes from a lander\u2019s engines interact with the lunar regolith by measuring volatile compounds over time and at varying distances from the landing site. These measurements will provide critical data to better understand plume-surface interactions and their effects, informing the design of safer, more sustainable landing systems and surface operations, directly supporting NASA\u2019s broader lunar exploration objectives. To enable these measurements, the MNP instrument will be integrated into the Australian Space Agency\u2019s rover (\u201cRoo-ver\u201d), a foundation services technology demonstration. The rover will showcase Australia\u2019s robotics capabilities, with the ability to traverse complex terrain and operate with limited human intervention. In doing so, Roo-ver will validate\u00a0key mobility and autonomy technologies in the lunar environment while serving as the enabling platform for MNP\u2019s scientific objectives.
Lead organization for MNP: NASA\u2019 Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland
Lead organization for Roover: Australian Space Agency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n- \n
- NASA\u2019s Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) is a small device that reflects laser beams transmitted by Moon orbiters or landing spacecraft to help them determine their orbit position or navigate to the surface. Made of eight quartz corner-cube prisms set into a dome-shaped aluminum frame, the array is passive, meaning it requires no power or maintenance. One LRA payload has already been delivered through CLPS to the surface of the Moon. These arrays will continue to be used to build a network of permanent location markers on the Moon for future exploration.
Lead development organization: NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/li>\n - \u201cSanctuary on the Moon\u201d is a lunar time capsule of 24 synthetic sapphire discs containing a curated archive of human civilization. The discs highlight over 100 billion micropixels of data including the history of science, technology, mathematics, architecture, culture, paleontology, art, literature, music, and the human genome. Sanctuary was developed in France.
Lead organization: Grapevine Productions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThrough NASA\u2019s CLPS initiative, lunar landing and surface operations services are purchased from American companies. By sending science and technology to the Moon, we continue to learn how to prepare for human exploration that could eventually take us to Mars.<\/p>\n
For more information about CLPS and Artemis:<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/clps<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
-end-<\/p>\n
Tiffany Blake
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2546
tiffany.n.blake@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\nKenna Pell \/ Ivry Artis
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov<\/a> \/ ivry.w.artis@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\nPowered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n
Get The Details…<\/a>
\nIvry Artis <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NASA has awarded Intuitive Machines of Houston, $180.4 million to deliver NASA-funded science and technology to the lunar surface as part of the agency\u2019s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program. This lunar delivery, which includes seven payloads \u2014 five of them NASA\u2019s \u2014 is expected to increase understanding of the chemical composition [\u2026] Continue reading
- NASA\u2019s Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) is a small device that reflects laser beams transmitted by Moon orbiters or landing spacecraft to help them determine their orbit position or navigate to the surface. Made of eight quartz corner-cube prisms set into a dome-shaped aluminum frame, the array is passive, meaning it requires no power or maintenance. One LRA payload has already been delivered through CLPS to the surface of the Moon. These arrays will continue to be used to build a network of permanent location markers on the Moon for future exploration.