NASA Prepares for Performing New Science on the Moon

June 21, 2007

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726

RELEASE: 07-141

NASA PREPARES FOR PERFORMING NEW SCIENCE ON THE MOON

WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected proposals for future lunar science
activities and established two new programs that will enhance
research made possible by the Vision for Space Exploration.

The proposals and programs are part of an effort by NASA to develop
new opportunities to conduct important science investigations during
the planned renewal of human exploration of the moon.

In a highly competitive selection, NASA chose seven proposals from
more than 70 submissions under the Lunar Sortie Science Opportunities
(LSSO) Program. These newly funded efforts in the space science
community will complement two new programs established in the Science
Mission Directorate's Planetary Sciences Division at NASA
Headquarters in Washington: the Lunar Advanced Science and
Exploration Research (LASER) Program and the Lunar Reconnaissance
Orbiter (LRO) Participating Scientist Program.

The seven selected proposals will result in advanced development for
simple, autonomous instrument packages deployed on the lunar surface
by astronauts. Such "suitcase science" packages could open up a wide
variety of research applications regarding the moon and the lunar
environment.

Some of the funded efforts will help scientists understand the lunar
dust that creates problems for astronauts on the moon. Other studies
will provide a better understanding of the moon's interior, look for
natural resources on the lunar surface and use lasers to provide
precise information about the position of the moon and its features.

"The proposals we received show that the scientific community is
excited about the opportunity to capitalize on the nation's planned
lunar outpost. The moon has much to teach us about itself, the
history of our solar system, and even the history of the sun. In the
future, more and more scientists will be able to participate in lunar
research as we focus attention on Earth's fascinating satellite,"
said Alan Stern, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission
Directorate.

Selected proposals are:

-- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., William Banerdt,
Principal Investigator (PI) "Autonomous Lunar Geophysical Experiment
Package"

-- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., Slava Turyshev (PI)
"Lunar Laser Transponder and Retroreflector Science"

-- Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., Daniel Glavin (PI)
"Volatile Analysis by Pyrolysis of Regolith on the Moon using Mass
Spectrometry"

-- Goddard Space Flight Center, Patrick Taylor (PI) "Seismology and
Heat flow instrument package for Lunar Science and Hazards"

-- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colo., Donald Hassler (PI)
"Lunar Radiation Environment and Regolith Shielding Experiment"

-- U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Fort
Wainwright, Ark., Jerome Johnson (PI) "Lunar Suitcase Science: A
Lunar Regolith Characterization Kit"

-- Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo., Christian
Grund (PI) "Autonomous Lunar Dust Observer"

Under the planned LASER program, proposals will be solicited for
investigations to increase knowledge of the moon while also providing
necessary information for humans to live and work there. Studies may
include simulations and laboratory work to better understand the
lunar environment and its hazards, such as dust and radiation. The
program also will support analysis of existing lunar data, including
the Apollo and robotic mission data archives, and work to understand
the origin and evolution of the moon.

In the upcoming LRO Participating Scientist Program, NASA will select
researchers to perform detailed investigations using instruments
aboard the LRO spacecraft during its first years in lunar orbit.
Proposals for both programs are due Sept. 7, 2007.

LRO is NASA's next orbital mission to the moon. Launch is planned in
late 2008. It will orbit the moon for at least one year, providing
data to accelerate opportunities for future science missions and
human exploration.

Details on NASA's lunar research programs are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration

-end-

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