NASA Chooses Instruments for Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle Project

NASA has officially selected three advanced scientific instruments for deployment as part of its Artemis program, specifically designed to operate on the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) that aims to explore the Moon’s surface. This initiative marks a significant milestone in lunar exploration as it is the first crew-driven vehicle set to traverse the Moon in over half a century. The selected instruments include the Artemis Infrared Reflectance and Emission Spectrometer (AIRES), the Lunar Microwave Active-Passive Spectrometer (L-MAPS), and the Ultra-Compact Imaging Spectrometer for the Moon (UCIS-Moon).

The Artemis Infrared Reflectance and Emission Spectrometer, led by Dr. Phil Christensen of Arizona State University, will focus on identifying and mapping lunar minerals and volatile compounds such as water ice and ammonia. AIRES is designed to capture spectral data that overlays visible light images, allowing scientists to understand the distribution of these materials across the Moon’s south polar region (NASA, 2025).

Complementing AIRES, the Lunar Microwave Active-Passive Spectrometer, headed by Dr. Matthew Siegler from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, is tasked with probing beneath the lunar surface. This instrument combines a spectrometer with ground-penetrating radar to measure subsurface temperatures and density, reaching depths of more than 131 feet (40 meters). The data collected will provide insights into potential ice deposits and the Moon’s geological history (NASA, 2025).

In addition to the instruments destined for the LTV, NASA has also earmarked the UCIS-Moon for a future orbital flight opportunity. Under the supervision of Dr. Abigail Fraeman from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this spectrometer will offer critical regional context to the findings from the LTV while mapping the Moon’s geology and monitoring how human activities may affect lunar volatiles (NASA, 2025).

Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration at NASA, emphasized the importance of these instruments, stating, "Together, these three scientific instruments will make significant progress in answering key questions about what minerals and volatiles are present on and under the surface of the Moon" (NASA, 2025). The integration of these instruments into the LTV is part of a broader strategy to enhance scientific discovery and exploration capabilities of the Moon, paving the way for future crewed missions to Mars.

The Artemis program aims to address pressing scientific questions through both human and robotic exploration, which NASA believes will yield economic benefits and further scientific understanding of the Moon and beyond. The agency is currently reviewing task order proposals from LTV vendors including Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab, with a decision anticipated by the end of 2025 (NASA, 2025).

NASA’s Artemis initiative not only seeks to expand our knowledge of the Moon but is also a vital step towards establishing a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface, which is essential for future explorations to Mars. For more information on the Artemis program, visit [NASA's Artemis page](https://www.nasa.gov/artemis).