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Subsurface
Drills, heat-flow probes, radar, ice mining, scoops - when listed on a flight.
Cargo The Chang'e-5 return capsule brought lunar samples through Earth's atmosphere and was recovered. · Chang'e-5 · 2020-11-23 CNSA/CAST ascent stage from lunar surface to lunar orbit for sample canister transfer on Chang'e-5. · Chang'e-5 · 2020-11-23 Returned lunar regolith/rock samples (~1.731 kg public figure class) for science distribution. · Chang'e-5 · 2020-11-23 Chang'e-5 lander Lunar Regolith Penetrating Radar (LRPR) array radar for shallow subsurface structure to support drill/sampling site characterization. · Chang'e-5 · 2020-11-23 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Surface Sampling and Packing System (Samplers A/B, near-field cameras, sealing/packaging) for multi-point surface regolith. · Chang'e-5 · 2020-11-23 Polar ice prospecting (CubeSat). · Artemis I · 2022-11-16 Lunar water/volatiles IR. · Artemis I · 2022-11-16 Physical Research Laboratory APXS on Pragyan rover for elemental composition. · Chandrayaan-3 · 2023-07-14 ISRO SPL/VSSC ChaSTE thermal probe on Vikram for regolith thermal conductivity / temperature profile. · Chandrayaan-3 · 2023-07-14 ISRO LEOS Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy on Pragyan for elemental analysis of regolith. · Chandrayaan-3 · 2023-07-14 ADRON-LR is an IKI neutron and gamma spectrometer that was to hunt polar volatiles on Luna-25. · Luna-25 · 2023-08-10 THERMO-L instrument for thermal properties of lunar regolith on Luna-25 (IKI suite). · Luna-25 · 2023-08-10 LASMA-LR laser-ionization mass spectrometer (IKI RAS class) for elemental composition of lunar regolith samples on Luna-25. · Luna-25 · 2023-08-10 LIS-TV-RPM is an IKI infrared spectrometer for surface composition on Luna-25. · Luna-25 · 2023-08-10 NIRVSS is a NASA Ames infrared spectrometer flown on Peregrine Mission One. · Peregrine Mission One · 2024-01-08 PITMS is an ion-trap mass spectrometer from NASA Goddard, ESA, and the Open University. · Peregrine Mission One · 2024-01-08 NASA LaRC SCALPSS four-camera suite on Odysseus for PSI imaging. · IM-1 Odysseus · 2024-02-15 CNSA return capsule for Chang'e-6 farside samples - second successful lunar sample return logistics path. · Chang'e-6 · 2024-05-03 CNSA/CAST farside ascent stage for Chang'e-6 sample canister transfer to orbiter. · Chang'e-6 · 2024-05-03 Chang'e-6 far-side automated sampling and ascent system for sample return (~2 kg class returned). · Chang'e-6 · 2024-05-03 Euglena Co. · Hakuto-R Mission 2 Resilience · 2025-01-15 Honeybee mechanism path for LISTER heat-flow probe. · Blue Ghost Mission 1 · 2025-01-15 Honeybee pneumatic regolith collector on Blue Ghost M1. · Blue Ghost Mission 1 · 2025-01-15 Aegis Aerospace RAC - dust accumulation on material sample wheels over lunar day. · Blue Ghost Mission 1 · 2025-01-15 NASA LaRC enhanced SCALPSS camera suite for PSI topography on Blue Ghost M1 descent. · Blue Ghost Mission 1 · 2025-01-15 Takasago flew a water electrolyzer on Hakuto-R M2 to split water into hydrogen and oxygen on the Moon. · Hakuto-R Mission 2 Resilience · 2025-01-15 Commercial residual-gas analyzer core modified by NASA KSC for PRIME-1 volatile analysis. · IM-2 Athena · 2025-02-27 Puli Space Technologies neutron spectrometer (PLWS) flew on Intuitive Machines Micro-Nova hopper Grace during IM-2. · IM-2 Athena · 2025-02-27 Honeybee-built drill for PRIME-1. · IM-2 Athena · 2025-02-27 Lunaria One / RMIT biological horticulture capsule on IM-3 Trinity - plant survival and growth through transit and on the Reiner Gamma surface. · IM-3 Trinity · NET H2 2026 NASA Ames METAL (with Interlune) on Griffin-1 - study helium-3 abundance in lunar regolith. · Griffin-1 (Moon Base II) · NET late 2026 NASA booked two instruments as cargo on Blue Origin's company-funded MK1 lander: SCALPSS cameras and a laser retroreflector. · Blue Moon MK1 Endurance (Moon Base I) · NET fall 2026 Maps lunar minerals and volatiles from a Lunar Terrain Vehicle. · CX-2 Lunar Terrain Vehicle Delivery · NET late 2020s (schedule TBD) Active-passive microwave spectrometer for subsurface structure and ice prospecting from a Lunar Terrain Vehicle. · CX-2 Lunar Terrain Vehicle Delivery · NET late 2020s (schedule TBD) ESA PROSPECT multi-function drill/sample/analysis package for polar volatiles (water/oxygen path) on IM-4 / CP-22 Mons Mouton. · IM-4 · NET ~2027 Surface and Exosphere Alterations by Landers (SEAL) molecular/gas detector for landing plume contamination and regolith alteration on IM-4 / CP-22. · IM-4 · NET ~2027 Characterize volatiles in the near-surface environment after touchdown (and drill cuttings when paired with ISRU tools). · VIPER on Blue Moon (CS-7) · NET late 2027 (contingent) Observe near-IR light from lunar soil/cuttings to identify composition and volatile-bearing materials (VIPER-heritage instrument family). · VIPER on Blue Moon (CS-7) · NET late 2027 (contingent) Detect subsurface hydrogen (ice proxy) via neutron spectroscopy on VIPER. · VIPER on Blue Moon (CS-7) · NET late 2027 (contingent) 1 m-class rotary-percussive drill for polar regolith/ice sampling on VIPER. · VIPER on Blue Moon (CS-7) · NET late 2027 (contingent) Polar volatiles prospecting rover (~100-day science goal): map and sample ice-bearing regolith at the lunar south pole. · VIPER on Blue Moon (CS-7) · NET late 2027 (contingent) Planetary Science Institute Heimdall four-camera system (descent, workspace, regolith, panoramic) on Blue Ghost M3 / CP-21. · Blue Ghost Mission 3 · NET ~2028 Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering, and Probing of Lunar Regolith (SAMPLR) - Maxar Technologies robotic arm / sieve-scoop / penetrometer on Blue Ghost M3. · Blue Ghost Mission 3 · NET ~2028 Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · IM-6 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · Blue Ghost Mission 5 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · Peregrine Mission 2 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · Peregrine Mission 3 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028-2029 (CS-8 Moon Base) Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · Blue Ghost Mission 4 · NET ~2029 IM-5 Nova-D · NET ~2030 classCharacterize volatiles in the near-surface environment after touchdown (and drill cuttings when paired with ISRU tools). · IM-5 Nova-D · NET ~2030 class Observe near-IR light from lunar soil/cuttings to identify composition and volatile-bearing materials (VIPER-heritage instrument family). · IM-5 Nova-D · NET ~2030 class Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · IM-5 Nova-D · NET ~2030 class Astronaut-deployed dielectric analyzer to map how lunar regolith carries an electric field - a path to polar volatiles and frost or ice. Astronaut-deployed plant-growth experiment for photosynthesis, growth, and stress in lunar radiation and partial gravity. Southwest Research Institute LITMS heat-flow / thermal instrument planned for CP-12 (host cancelled). · CP-12 Draper / ispace APEX · Cancelled Compact imaging spectrometer selected July 2025 with the LTV instrument set, for a future lunar orbital flight. Jobs China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) designed/developed Chang'e-5 four-module stack (orbiter/service module, lander, ascender, returner) for CNSA lunar. The Chang'e-5 return capsule brought lunar samples through Earth's atmosphere and was recovered. CNSA/CAST Chang'e-5 lunar sample return stack - lander, ascender, orbiter, return capsule (~1.7 kg samples). CNSA/CAST ascent stage from lunar surface to lunar orbit for sample canister transfer on Chang'e-5. Returned lunar regolith/rock samples (~1.731 kg public figure class) for science distribution. CAST service module (orbiter) provided lunar-orbit support, automated rendezvous/docking with ascender, sample canister handoff, and Earth-return trajectory. CASC's Long March 5 launched Chang'e-5 from Wenchang. Chang'e-5 lander Lunar Regolith Penetrating Radar (LRPR) array radar for shallow subsurface structure to support drill/sampling site characterization. Hong Kong Polytechnic University Surface Sampling and Packing System (Samplers A/B, near-field cameras, sealing/packaging) for multi-point surface regolith. ISRO SPL/VSSC ChaSTE thermal probe on Vikram for regolith thermal conductivity / temperature profile. ISRO LEOS Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy on Pragyan for elemental analysis of regolith. ADRON-LR is an IKI neutron and gamma spectrometer that was to hunt polar volatiles on Luna-25. LASMA-LR laser-ionization mass spectrometer (IKI RAS class) for elemental composition of lunar regolith samples on Luna-25. THERMO-L instrument for thermal properties of lunar regolith on Luna-25 (IKI suite). NIRVSS is a NASA Ames infrared spectrometer flown on Peregrine Mission One. PITMS is an ion-trap mass spectrometer from NASA Goddard, ESA, and the Open University. SCALPSS is NASA Langley's four-camera suite on IM-1 Odysseus. CNSA return capsule for Chang'e-6 farside samples - second successful lunar sample return logistics path. Chang'e-6 is CNSA/CAST's first farside sample return. Chang'e-6's ascent stage, built by CNSA/CAST, lifted the sample canister from the far side. CASC's Long March 5 launched Chang'e-6. Euglena Co. Honeybee mechanism path for LISTER heat-flow probe. The Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder is Southwest Research Institute's instrument on Blue Ghost Mission 1. Honeybee Robotics Lunar PlanetVac pneumatic sample acquisition system on Blue Ghost M1 (PlanetVac product line class). Honeybee pneumatic regolith collector on Blue Ghost M1. RAC is Aegis Aerospace's dust experiment on Blue Ghost Mission 1. SCALPSS 1.1 is NASA Langley's camera suite on Blue Ghost Mission 1. Takasago flew a water electrolyzer on Hakuto-R M2 to split water into hydrogen and oxygen on the Moon. Intuitive Machines' CLPS delivery for IM-2 covers the Athena lander and the PRIME-1 ice-drilling suite. MSolo uses an INFICON residual-gas analyzer core, modified by NASA Kennedy. NASA PRIME-1 polar ice mining package combining Honeybee TRIDENT drill + KSC/INFICON MSolo on IM-2. TRIDENT is Honeybee Robotics' meter-class drill on PRIME-1. RMIT University designed, assembled, and is qualifying ALEPH-1 as Lunaria One’s primary technical partner. Lunaria One ALEPH-1 biological horticulture payload on IM-3 Trinity. CNSA Chang'e-7 mini-flying/hopping probe with water-molecule / hydrogen isotope analyzer for permanently shadowed regions. NASA booked two instruments as cargo on Blue Origin's company-funded MK1 lander: SCALPSS cameras and a laser retroreflector. NASA Ames Moon Exploration for Titanium with Active Lighting, partner Interlune. SCALPSS is a NASA Langley camera suite that watches how the lander's plume hits the soil. Arizona State University instrument selected July 2025 for integration onto a NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle. NASA's CP-22 suite on IM-4 at Mons Mouton is six named Science payloads. Selected July 2025 for integration onto a NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle. ESA PROSPECT multi-function drill/sample/analysis package for polar volatiles (water/oxygen path) on IM-4 / CP-22 Mons Mouton. Surface and Exosphere Alterations by Landers (SEAL) molecular/gas detector for landing plume contamination and regolith alteration on IM-4 / CP-22. NASA astronauts practiced Starship HLS elevator and airlock work in pressurized EVA suits with Axiom. MSolo mass spectrometer on VIPER for volatile analysis of TRIDENT cuttings - heritage with IM-2 PRIME-1 / INFICON core path. NASA Ames NIRVSS on VIPER to characterize drill cuttings for water/hydroxyl and mineral ices after TRIDENT samples. NASA Ames NSS on VIPER rover for subsurface hydrogen detection up to ~1 m - heritage from Peregrine-class CLPS demos. NASA VIPER polar volatiles rover delivery path on Blue Origin Blue Moon CS-7 after Griffin restructuring. Honeybee Robotics TRIDENT 1-m rotary-percussive drill integrated on VIPER for polar volatiles sampling. CS-8 award-level NASA science on Blue Ghost Mission 5. Planetary Science Institute Heimdall four-camera system (descent, workspace, regolith, panoramic) on Blue Ghost M3 / CP-21. CS-8 award-level NASA science on IM-6. NASA LETS Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometer on IM-6 / CS-8 Moon Base package (triad with SCALPSS + LRA on each CS-8 delivery). NASA LETS radiation spectrometer on Peregrine Mission 2 CS-8 Moon Base package (triad with SCALPSS + LRA). CS-8 award-level NASA science on Peregrine Mission 2. CS-8 award-level NASA science on Peregrine Mission 3. Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering, and Probing of Lunar Regolith (SAMPLR) - Maxar Technologies robotic arm / sieve-scoop / penetrometer on Blue Ghost M3. SCALPSS is NASA Langley's plume-surface camera suite booked on Blue Ghost Mission 5. SCALPSS is NASA Langley's plume-surface camera suite booked on IM-6. SCALPSS is NASA Langley's plume-surface camera suite booked on Peregrine Mission 2. SCALPSS is NASA Langley's plume-surface camera suite booked on Peregrine Mission 3. NASA CS-6 science package on Firefly Blue Ghost M4: dual rovers + LIMS + SCALPSS + LRA to lunar south pole (delivery TO separate). University of Bern LIMS in-situ laser ablation ionization mass spectrometer on Blue Ghost M4 for regolith chemical/isotopic composition. Astrobotic MoonRanger autonomous microrover with neutron spectrometer path for hydrogen/volatiles in PSRs on Blue Ghost Mission 4 / CS-6. NASA Langley SCALPSS plume-surface stereo camera suite on Blue Ghost M4 - product-line heritage from IM-1 / BG-M1 flights. MSolo is NASA Kennedy's mass spectrometer booked on IM-5. NIRVSS is NASA Ames' volatiles spectrometer booked on IM-5. SCALPSS is NASA Langley's plume-surface camera suite booked on IM-5 Nova-D. University of Tokyo / JAXA dielectric analyzer selected March 2024 for Artemis astronaut deployment. Space Lab Technologies plant-growth experiment selected March 2024 for Artemis astronaut deployment. Southwest Research Institute LITMS heat-flow / thermal instrument planned for CP-12 (host cancelled). Flights Chang'e-5 2020-11-23 · CNSA national lunar sample-return (near side). Artemis I 2022-11-16 · First integrated Artemis flight test: uncrewed SLS Block 1 + Orion. Chandrayaan-3 2023-07-14 · ISRO national soft-landing mission near lunar south polar highlands. Luna-25 2023-08-10 · Roscosmos national polar lander (Luna-25). Peregrine Mission One 2024-01-08 · First CLPS launch. IM-1 Odysseus 2024-02-15 · IM-1 Odysseus (TO2-IM): first commercial soft landing (Feb 2024). Chang'e-6 2024-05-03 · CNSA national far-side lunar sample-return via Queqiao-2 relay. Hakuto-R Mission 2 Resilience 2025-01-15 · Commercial payloads ~$16M. Blue Ghost Mission 1 2025-01-15 · Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 (TO19D ~$93.3M): Falcon 9 launch 2025-01-15 · soft landing (upright) Mare Crisium 2025-03-02 · all 10 NASA. IM-2 Athena 2025-02-27 · IM-2 Athena (PRIME-1 path): south polar attempt (Mar 2025). IM-3 Trinity NET H2 2026 · Intuitive Machines IM-3 (CLPS CP-11): Nova-C Trinity - NASA Moon Base III. Chang'e-7 NET August 2026 · CNSA south-pole complex (orbiter, lander, rover, hopper) focused on water-ice and polar environment. Griffin-1 (Moon Base II) NET late 2026 · Astrobotic / Voyager Lunar Systems Griffin Mission One - NASA Moon Base II. Blue Moon MK1 Endurance (Moon Base I) NET fall 2026 · Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance - NASA Moon Base I. CX-2 Lunar Terrain Vehicle Delivery NET late 2020s (schedule TBD) · NASA CX-2 CLPS path for Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) delivery architecture (exploration-led). IM-4 NET ~2027 · Six NASA science payloads to Mons Mouton / south polar highlands. Artemis III NET 2027 · First crewed Artemis lunar landing architecture (SLS + Orion + HLS). VIPER on Blue Moon (CS-7) NET late 2027 (contingent) · VIPER polar rover on second Blue Moon MK1 (CS-7). Starship Lunar Cargo (HLS path) NET late 2020s-2030s (HLS path) · SpaceX Starship lunar architecture: NASA HLS crew lander path (Option A/B) plus heavy cargo configurations. Blue Ghost Mission 5 (Moon Base CS-8) NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) · 2028 Moon Base batch Firefly delivery. IM-6 (Moon Base CS-8) NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) · 2028 Moon Base batch. Peregrine Mission 3 (Moon Base CS-8) NET ~2028-2029 (CS-8 Moon Base) · Astrobotic Peregrine Mission 3 under NASA Moon Base / CS-8 batch. Peregrine Mission 2 (Moon Base CS-8) NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) · Astrobotic Peregrine Mission 2 under NASA Moon Base / CS-8 batch (public award packaging). Blue Ghost Mission 3 NET ~2028 · Six NASA science payloads to Gruithuisen Domes. Artemis IV NET 2028 · National crewed lunar landing architecture after Artemis III. Blue Ghost Mission 4 NET ~2029 · South-pole CLPS with multiple rovers (MoonRanger, CSA path) and instruments. IM-5 Nova-D NET ~2030 class · First cargo-class Nova-D CLPS. CP-12 Draper / ispace APEX Cancelled · Draper APEX 1.0 far-side CLPS award (CP-12) - cancelled July 2026.