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Tech demos
Hardware and software proving themselves in the real lunar environment before becoming standard kit.
Cargo NASA GSFC mini Laser Retroreflector Array on SpaceIL Beresheet. · Beresheet · 2019-02-22 The Chang'e-5 return capsule brought lunar samples through Earth's atmosphere and was recovered. · Chang'e-5 · 2020-11-23 Solar sail NEA recon. · Artemis I · 2022-11-16 Semi-hard lunar landing tech demo CubeSat. · Artemis I · 2022-11-16 Plasma thruster / comms CubeSat demo. · Artemis I · 2022-11-16 Canadensys Aerospace flew a lunar camera on Hakuto-R M1 to image the surface. · Hakuto-R Mission 1 · 2022-12-11 Mission Control Space Services flew an AI flight computer on Hakuto-R M1 to test onboard autonomy. · Hakuto-R Mission 1 · 2022-12-11 Niterra flew a solid-state battery experiment on Hakuto-R M1 to test lunar power storage. · Hakuto-R Mission 1 · 2022-12-11 NASA GSFC passive mini Laser Retroreflector Array on Vikram. · Chandrayaan-3 · 2023-07-14 Renesas public claim: Intersil rad-hard ICs supported data/comms and power conditioning paths on SLIM. · SLIM · 2023-09-07 Terrain Relative Navigation is Astrobotic's camera-based landing sensor, built in-house. · Peregrine Mission One · 2024-01-08 A laser retroreflector array from NASA Goddard. · Peregrine Mission One · 2024-01-08 Spacebit flew a small technology demonstration as commercial cargo on Peregrine Mission One. · Peregrine Mission One · 2024-01-08 Columbia Sportswear flew its Omni-Heat Infinity insulation on IM-1 to see how the fabric holds heat in the lunar environment. · IM-1 Odysseus · 2024-02-15 Embry-Riddle student-built camera system on IM-1. · IM-1 Odysseus · 2024-02-15 NASA GSFC passive LRA fiducial on Odysseus - multi-CLPS design family. · IM-1 Odysseus · 2024-02-15 NASA MSFC Lunar Node 1 S-band navigation/comm beacon demo on IM-1 Odysseus. · IM-1 Odysseus · 2024-02-15 NASA LaRC NDL velocity/range lidar used operationally on IM-1 when primary lidar failed. · IM-1 Odysseus · 2024-02-15 NASA GRC RFMG cryogenic propellant mass-gauge tech demo on IM-1 Nova-C tanks. · IM-1 Odysseus · 2024-02-15 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 Pakistan SUPARCO ICUBE-Q lunar cubesat (Shanghai Jiao Tong University collaboration) deployed from Chang'e-6 orbiter stack. · Chang'e-6 · 2024-05-03 Italian INFN-LNF INRRI passive laser retroreflector on Chang'e-6 lander for orbital ranging. · Chang'e-6 · 2024-05-03 NASA KSC Electrodynamic Dust Shield - active dust mitigation tech demo on BG-M1. · Blue Ghost Mission 1 · 2025-01-15 NGC Aerospace (Canada) global lunar optical navigation demonstration payload on Blue Ghost Mission 1. · Blue Ghost Mission 1 · 2025-01-15 Montana State University RadPC tech demo - fault mitigation on commercial FPGA + dosimeters. · Blue Ghost Mission 1 · 2025-01-15 Redwire cameras and vision navigation flew on Blue Ghost Mission 1. · 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 AstroForge Odin asteroid-flyby spacecraft launched as an independent rideshare on the IM-2 Falcon 9 stack. · IM-2 Athena · 2025-02-27 A NASA Goddard laser retroreflector on IM-2 Athena. · IM-2 Athena · 2025-02-27 IM first lunar data-relay. · IM-3 Trinity · NET H2 2026 AstroForge Vestri asteroid-rendezvous spacecraft launching as an independent rideshare on the IM-3 Falcon 9 stack. · IM-3 Trinity · NET H2 2026 Goddard GNSS receiver on Altus-1 - test GPS + Galileo sidelobes for spacecraft position at the Moon without consuming DSN time. · IM-3 Trinity · NET H2 2026 INFN-LNF laser retroreflector array on the Chang'e-7 lander (CLARA: INRRI mini-array plus MoonLIGHT large CCR) for lunar laser ranging from orbit and Earth. · Chang'e-7 · NET August 2026 In-house LunaRay renderer + terrain-relative navigation / hazard-detection software-hardware stack for Griffin south-pole precision landing. · Griffin-1 (Moon Base II) · NET late 2026 ESA LandCam-X lunar landing camera tech demo on Griffin-1 path (OIP Sensor Systems / lunar surface sensor class). · Griffin-1 (Moon Base II) · NET late 2026 A NASA Goddard laser retroreflector booked on Blue Moon MK1, so orbiters can range the lander at the south pole. · Blue Moon MK1 Endurance (Moon Base I) · NET fall 2026 Two NASA Goddard laser retroreflector arrays on Griffin-1 - precise surface fiducials for tracking and navigation. · Griffin-1 (Moon Base II) · NET late 2026 NASA Marshall laser mapping demo on Griffin-1 - 3D terrain maps of the south-pole landing site (time-of-flight lidar). · 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 Two identical ~400 kg-class smallsats demonstrate RPO, autonomous nav, and cislunar comms in lunar orbit. · CAPSTONE 02 · NET 2027 Elytra Dark is Firefly's orbital tug on Blue Ghost Mission 2. · Blue Ghost Mission 2 · NET 2027 NASA GSFC Laser Retroreflector Array on IM-4 / CP-22 Mons Mouton (heritage product line across CLPS deliveries). · IM-4 · NET ~2027 Passive laser ranging fiducial for precise orbit determination and future navigation/landing relative positioning. · IM-6 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) Passive laser ranging fiducial for precise orbit determination and future navigation/landing relative positioning. · Blue Ghost Mission 5 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) Passive laser ranging fiducial for precise orbit determination and future navigation/landing relative positioning. · Peregrine Mission 2 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) Passive laser ranging fiducial for precise orbit determination and future navigation/landing relative positioning. · Peregrine Mission 3 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028-2029 (CS-8 Moon Base) Photovoltaic Investigation on the Lunar Surface (PILS) multi-technology solar array experiment on Blue Ghost M3 / CP-21 for lunar-environment solar performance. · 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) Redwire Belgium delivers four IBDMs for Lunar I-Hab: one active (I-Hab to Gateway) and three passive ports for modules or visiting vehicles. · Artemis IV · NET 2028 Firefly Elytra Dark transfers Blue Ghost M4 to lunar orbit and remains as long-haul comms relay. · Blue Ghost Mission 4 · NET ~2029 Passive laser ranging fiducial for precise orbit determination and future navigation/landing relative positioning. · Blue Ghost Mission 4 · NET ~2029 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 Passive laser ranging fiducial for precise orbit determination and future navigation/landing relative positioning. · 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 Jobs Arch Mission Foundation Lunar Library (multi-layer archive / cultural time-capsule elements) aboard SpaceIL Beresheet. The Chang'e-5 return capsule brought lunar samples through Earth's atmosphere and was recovered. Niterra flew a solid-state battery experiment on Hakuto-R Mission 1. The Arch Mission Foundation flew a Lunar Library archive as commercial cargo on Peregrine Mission One. Astroscale's Lunar Dream Capsule is a memento capsule flown as commercial cargo on Peregrine Mission One. Puli Space flew a Memory of Mankind ceramic archive as commercial cargo on Peregrine Mission One. MoonArk is a designed cultural object from Carnegie Mellon, flown as commercial cargo on Peregrine Mission One. Spacebit flew a small technology demonstration as commercial cargo on Peregrine Mission One. Columbia Sportswear flew its Omni-Heat Infinity insulation on IM-1 to see how the fabric holds heat in the lunar environment. RFMG is NASA Glenn's radio-frequency mass gauge. 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. Pakistan SUPARCO ICUBE-Q lunar cubesat (Shanghai Jiao Tong University collaboration) deployed from Chang'e-6 orbiter stack. The Electrodynamic Dust Shield is a NASA Kennedy experiment on Blue Ghost Mission 1. Moonhouse is artist Mikael Genberg's small habitat model, flown as cargo on Hakuto-R Mission 2. RAC is Aegis Aerospace's dust experiment on Blue Ghost Mission 1. Montana State University RadPC tech demo - fault mitigation on commercial FPGA + dosimeters. SCALPSS 1.1 is NASA Langley's camera suite on Blue Ghost Mission 1. A UNESCO memory disc, made with Barrelhand, flew as cultural cargo on Hakuto-R Mission 2. Goddard GNSS receiver (~1.6 kg / 3.5 lb) delivered to IM 13 Jul 2026 for Altus-1 integration. NanoFiche's Galactic Library is archival media booked as commercial cargo on Griffin-1. SCALPSS is a NASA Langley camera suite that watches how the lander's plume hits the soil. Soratan is a Nippon Travel Agency time capsule booked as cargo on Griffin-1. Two identical ~400 kg-class spacecraft. Ship-to-ship cryogenic propellant transfer is a stated critical technology for Starship HLS. Photovoltaic Investigation on the Lunar Surface (PILS) multi-technology solar array experiment on Blue Ghost M3 / CP-21 for lunar-environment solar performance. 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 Langley SCALPSS plume-surface stereo camera suite on Blue Ghost M4 - product-line heritage from IM-1 / BG-M1 flights. Grapevine Productions Sanctuary archival sapphire-disc time capsule on IM-5 commercial/cultural suite element. SCALPSS is NASA Langley's plume-surface camera suite booked on IM-5 Nova-D. Flights Beresheet 2019-02-22 · SpaceIL / IAI Beresheet - private/national hybrid soft-landing attempt. 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. Hakuto-R Mission 1 2022-12-11 · Private Japanese lander. Chandrayaan-3 2023-07-14 · ISRO national soft-landing mission near lunar south polar highlands. SLIM 2023-09-07 · JAXA SLIM precision soft-landing demo. 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. CAPSTONE 02 NET 2027 · NASA CAPSTONE 02 - two identical ~400 kg-class smallsats (Terran Orbital bus. Blue Ghost Mission 2 NET 2027 · Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 2 (CS-3 ~$112M, charter-bg2): planned far-side dual-stack (Blue Ghost stacked on Elytra Dark + ESA Lunar. 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). 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.