NASA Selects 3 Moon Missions to Launch by 2028

The Moon is about to get three new scientific visitors that could change how we explore space.

NASA announced Tuesday it's sending three research payloads to the lunar surface no earlier than 2028. American companies will deliver the experiments as part of the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative and Artemis campaign.

The first mission, EMILIA-3D, will create detailed three-dimensional heat maps of the Moon's terrain. Using thermal cameras and stereo imaging, it will measure how the dusty lunar soil holds and releases temperature, helping scientists understand what astronauts will encounter when they walk on the surface.

The second experiment, LISTER, will drill beneath the Moon's crust to measure heat flowing from its interior. By pausing at intervals during drilling, the instrument will take temperature readings and study how well subsurface material conducts heat, revealing clues about the Moon's thermal history.

The third payload, SELINE, tackles one of the biggest challenges for human exploration: radiation. It will study how cosmic rays and secondary particles interact with the lunar surface, providing crucial data to keep future astronauts safe during extended missions.

"These selections continue this pipeline of lunar exploration, through research that will not only expand our knowledge about the Moon's history and environment, but also inform future human safety and navigation on the Moon and beyond," said Joel Kearns, NASA's deputy associate administrator for exploration.

The Ripple Effect spreads beyond the Moon itself. By partnering with American companies and universities from Arizona to Texas to Maryland, NASA is building a sustainable lunar economy while nurturing the next generation of space entrepreneurs. Each successful mission proves that commercial space companies can handle complex scientific work, opening doors for more ambitious projects.

These experiments don't require specific landing sites, giving NASA flexibility to assign them to future missions. The agency's steady stream of lunar deliveries means researchers can count on regular access to the Moon, just like scientists today rely on regular launches to the International Space Station.

The missions build on recent successes, including an earlier version of LISTER that already drilled three feet beneath the lunar surface during the Blue Ghost Mission 1. That experience means scientists know their equipment works in the harsh lunar environment.

As humanity prepares to return astronauts to the Moon through the Artemis program, these quiet scientific missions are laying the groundwork for safe, sustainable exploration that could last generations.