Featured Image Credit: Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images/NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University
NASA has awarded a company $179 million for a moon delivery mission in order to uncover a ‘lunar mystery’.
The firm will send a lunar lander, orbital vehicle and a rover to investigate a part of the moon that has never been explored.
The company in question is Firefly Aerospace, a firm that develops small and medium launch vehicles for commercial launches to orbit.
On the NASA website, the space agency explained what they hope to be explored on the moon.
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It read: “We've got a lunar mystery on our hands! The Gruithuisen Domes are a geologic enigma. Based on early telescopic and spacecraft observations, these domes have long been suspected to be formed by a magma rich in silica, similar in composition to granite.
“Observations from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) confirmed that the Gruithuisen Domes are distinct from the surrounding terrain, which is covered by ancient hardened basaltic lava flows.
“Basaltic lavas are runny and thin and flow sort of like motor oil – as opposed to silicic lavas, which are thick, and flow more like peanut butter. The Gruithuisen Domes were formed by eruptions of silicic lavas, which didn't flow outward easily, creating domes.
“The real mystery is how such silicic magmas could form on the moon.”
NASA went on to explain that on Earth, silicic volcanoes tend to form ‘in the presence of two ingredients—water and plate tectonics’.
However, those key ingredients aren’t present on the moon, which begs the question: how did the Gruithuisen Domes form?
NASA continued: “There are few theories about the formation of silica-rich lunar magmas.
“In order to truly understand these puzzling features, we need to visit the domes, explore them from the ground, and analyze rock samples. NASA is planning to do just that.
“In 2025, a suite of scientific instruments will be delivered to this region, hosted on a Commercial Lunar Payload Services lander and rover. LRO Camera images, like those featured here, will be critical for selecting a landing site.”
It’s hoped that this mission to the moon will unlock some more secrets of the lunar surface.
Jason Kim, who is the CEO of Firefly Aerospace, said: “Firefly is proud to land our fourth NASA CLPS award for another complex mission, which is what our team does best.
“This incredible team gained a hard-earned reputation for smooth payload integrations, well-rehearsed operations, and robust testing and transparency throughout Blue Ghost Mission 1 preparations. As Firefly works towards becoming the go-to commercial company to provide autonomous systems on the Moon and beyond, our robust line of vehicles stand ready to deliver a historic mission to the Gruithuisen Domes.”
