University of Maryland Baltimore County
Who it subcontracts to
RELEVANCE: SEISMIC STUDIES PROVIDE COMPLETE OUR DEFINITIVE KNOWLEDGE OF INTERNAL LUNAR STRUCTURE. DESPITE SEVEN YEARS OF APOLLO SEISMIC EXPERIMENT OPERATION AND THE GRAIL AND OTHER LUNAR ORBITING MISSIONS, CURRENT KNOWLEDGE OF LUNAR INTERIOR IS STILL INFERRED AND UNCERTAIN WITH RESPECT TO CRUSTAL DEPTH, THE NATURE OF THE CORE AND POSSIBLE TECTONIC ACTIVITY. A MODERN LANDED LUNAR SEISMOLOGY EXPERIMENT CAN ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS AND CONSTRAIN THEORIES ABOUT LUNAR AND PLANETARY FORMATION AND EVOLUTION, A PRIORITY GOAL FOR NASA'S ARTEMIS AND PRISM PROGRAMS. METHODOLOGY: WE PROPOSE TO DEPLOY TWO SEISMOMETERS ON THE LUNAR SURFACE DURING THE ARTEMIS III CREWED MISSION TO THE LUNAR SOUTH POLE. ONE WILL BE A SHORT PERIOD SEISMOMETER, THE OTHER A VERY BROAD BAND INSTRUMENT. THE SIGNALS FROM THESE INSTRUMENTS WILL BE PROCESSED AND DOWNLINKED TO EARTH BY THE LUNAR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEM (LEMS) PROVIDED BY GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER. LEMS WILL OPERATE FOR 90 EARTH DAYS ON THE LUNAR SURFACE AND PROVIDE THE FIRST SEISMIC DATA SINCE THE APOLLO PROGRAM AND THE FIRST SEISMIC STATION CITED AT THE LUNAR SOUTH POLE. GOALS: 1) DELIVER A FLIGHT EXPERIMENT TO NASA IN JULY 2025 2) OPERATE THE SEISMOMETER EXPERIMENT ON THE LUNAR SURFACE 3) PROCESS AND ARCHIVE LUNAR SEISMIC DATA DELIVERABLES: UA ON CONTRACT: T0 = 0 DELIVERY OF THE SENSOR MASS MODELS (2 SP + 2 VBB) FOR TRAINING UNITS TO GSFC T = T0+ 6 MONTHS DELIVERY OF ETU SENSORS TO GSFC (SP + VBB): T = T0+ 9.5 MONTHS DELIVERY OF FLT SENSORS TO GSFC (SP + VBB): T = T0+ 11.5 MONTHS
1 INTRODUCTION THE MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY SPACE SCIENCE CENTER IS SUBMITTING AN UPDATED ROM SCHEDULE AND BUDGET PURSUANT TO A COLLABORATION FOR THE LUNAR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEM (LEMS) TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM. THE EFFORT INVOLVED WOULD ENCOMPASS END-TO-END TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT. 2 WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS) AND SCHEDULE THE BUDGETED WBS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING TELECOMMUNICATION MACRO WORKFLOW: -OVERALL SYSTEM DESIGN -ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS (MILESTONE, MONTHLY, WEEKLY REPORTS) -WEEKLY MEETINGS -DESIGN REVIEW SUPPORT -TELECOMMUNICATION-RELATED DOCUMENTATION DEVELOPMENT (REQUIREMENT DEFINITION, INTERFACE CONTROL DOCUMENTS, TEST AND PERFORMANCE REPORTS, RESOURCE BUDGETS, DSN/LTN/OTHER INTERFACE INFORMATION/DATA) -FLIGHT HARDWARE TRANSCEIVER, SSPA, LNA (FLIGHT TRANSCEIVER SUITABILITY TRADE STUDY, PROCUREMENT OF FLIGHT TRANSCEIVER, SOLID STATE POWER AMPLIFIER (SSPA), LOW-NOISE AMPLIFIER (LNA), AND ASSOCIATED SUB-COMPONENTS, FLIGHT SYSTEM CHARACTERIZATION - RF CHARACTERIZATION AND POWER CHARACTERIZATION - ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING TAILORED TO RISK POSTURE, LEMS-TO-GROUND DATA RELAY COMPATIBILITY TESTING) -FLIGHT ANTENNAS (RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) AND ASSEMBLY, INTEGRATION, AND TEST (AI&T) FOR UPLINK AND DOWNLINK LOW GAIN ANTENNAS (LGA) SUITABLE FOR COMMAND AND CONTROL AND R&D AND AI&T OF MEDIUM GAIN ANTENNA (MGA) SUITABLE FOR DOWNLINK OF SCIENCE DATA PRODUCTS) -UPLINK/DOWNLINK FREQUENCY LICENSING (NTIA STAGE 1 THROUGH LICENSE ACQUISITION) -WEEK IN THE LIFE TESTING -AS NEEDED, NON-DSN, GROUND OPERATIONS UTILIZING DSS-17 -POST LAUNCH SUPPORT, AS NEEDED THIS WBS IS BASED UPON AN ATP+10MONTH DELIVERY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS FLIGHT HARDWARE AND DOCUMENTATION. DELIVERABLES: MSU ON CONTRACT: T0 = 0 DELIVERY RF COMM SYSTEM TO GSFC T = T0+9.5 MONTHS
NICHOLAS SCHMERR WILL SERVE AS THE DEPUTY PI (DPI) ON THE PROJECT, AND MENTOR A POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR WHO WILL WORK ON THE LEMS-A3 MISSION. DPI SCHMERR WILL COORDINATE SCIENCE PLANNING OF THE INSTRUMENT AND OVERSEE SCIENCE ACTIVITIES WITH CO-IS DURING AND AFTER SURFACE OPERATIONS. THE SCIENCE OBJECTIVES THE SEISMOMETER ARE DELINEATED IN THE SCIENCE TRACEABILITY MATRIX. DPI SCHMERR WILL WORK WITH THE POSTDOC AND LEMS-A3 SCIENCE TEAM ON THE DATA ANALYSIS, ARCHIVING, AND PUBLISHING OF THE SEISMOMETER DATASETS AND RESULTANT PRODUCTS. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY (UMD) 1. DEPUTY-PI (DPI) SCHMERR'S GROUP PARTICIPATION IN ALL LEMS-A3 TEAM MEETINGS, TELECONFERENCES, AND VIRTUAL MEETINGS, AND ANY WORKING GROUP ACTIVITIES. 2. AS DPI, SCHMERR WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTEMIS III KICKOFF MEETING, CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW, SYSTEM INTEGRATION REVIEW, AND PAYLOAD DELIVERY OF THE SEISMOMETER INSTRUMENT FROM UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA HELP TO OVERSEE THE FINAL DELIVERY OF LEMS-A3 TO THE PAYLOAD DELIVERY SYSTEM. 3. DPI SCHMERR WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE CREW TRAINING AND FLIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AS A SEISMOLOGY FIELD EXPERT, AND ADVISER TO THE ARTEMIS TEAM ON SEISMOMETER INSTRUMENT DEPLOYMENT AND OPERATIONS. 4. DPI SCHMERR AND THE POSTDOC WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTEMIS III EVA ACTIVITIES AS SEISMOLOGY SCIENCE EXPERTS PRESENT IN THE SER DURING SURFACE OPERATIONS, SCHMERR AS THE SENIOR SCIENTIST FOR THE INSTRUMENT, AND BACKUP FROM THE POSTDOC. 5. DPI SCHMERR AND THE POSTDOC WILL LEAD THE MOONQUAKE SERVICE AND IDENTIFICATION AND ARCHIVING OF EVENTS IN THE COLLECTED DATASETS. 6. MENTORSHIP BY DPI SCHMERR OF THE UMD POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR AND ADVISING ON THEIR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. 7. MAINTENANCE OF THE UMD SUBCONTRACT BY DPI SCHMERR AND ASSISTANCE TO THE PI IN REPORTING ACTIVITIES FOR WRITTEN FEEDBACK TO NASA ON THE PROJECT PROGRESS REPORTS. 8. CONTRIBUTION OF SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE OF DPI SCHMERR'S GROUP, CODES FOR WAVE SIMULATION AND DATA MODELING, AND DATA ANALYSIS FOR THE SEISMIC EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS, AND SEISMIC DATASETS. 9. EDITORSHIP AND AUTHORSHIP OF PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS PRESENTING SEISMIC RESULTS FROM THE MISSION, CROSS-REVIEWS BETWEEN GEOPHYSICAL PACKAGES 10. PARTICIPATION IN PREPARING DATA FOR DATA ARCHIVE IN THE PDS AND IRIS-DMC 11. PARTICIPATION IN OUTREACH AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
RUN TIE-GCM TO PRODUCE DENSITY, EXOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE, AND NO DURING SEVERAL STORMS, WHILE VARYING SOLAR WIND, IMF AND CROSS-POLAR CAP POTENTIAL INPUTS
CO-INVESTIGATOR BYRNE WILL CONTRIBUTE A TOTAL OF 0.51 FTE EFFORT TO THIS PROJECT, A LEVEL OF EFFORT COMMENSURATE WITH EXPERIENCE OF SIMILAR WORK IN THE PAST. CO-I BYRNE WILL ASSIST WITH INTERPRETATIONS OF LEMS-A3 SEISMIC DATA IN THE CONTEXT OF LUNAR TECTONICS, CRUSTAL STRUCTURE, LEVEL OF ACTIVITY, AND GEOLOGICAL HISTORY, AND WILL ADVISE ON OPTIMAL PLACING OF THE LEMS-A3 PACKAGE BY ARTEMIS III ASTRONAUTS ONCE THE A3 LANDING SITE IS SELECTED. HE WILL ASSIST WITH SP AND VBB DATA PROCESSING, AND WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING AND ARCHIVING ALL LEMS-A3 DATA WITH SAGE AND THE PDS. HE WILL ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO ALL MANUSCRIPTS RESULTING FROM THIS PROJECT.
PROFESSOR HALEKAS WILL WORK AS A SUBCONTRACTOR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DR. ALEXANDER LIPATOV AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY. PROF. HALEKAS WILL TAKE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANAGING THE EFFORT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA AND ENSURING THAT ALL PROPOSAL OBJECTIVES ARE MET. PROF. HALEKAS WILL SUPERVISE AND WORK CLOSELY WITH A GRADUATE STUDENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY. PROF. HALEKAS AND THE GRADUATE STUDENT WILL SELECT AND ANALYZE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE ARTEMIS PROBES CORRESPONDING TO AMBIENT CONDITIONS AND LOCATIONS OF INTEREST SPECIFIED BY DR. LIPATOV, INCLUDING OBSERVATIONS IN THE TERRESTRIAL MAGNETOSPHERE AND DURING EXTREME AND/OR UNUSUAL SOLAR WIND CONDITIONS. THE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE NEAR-MOON PROBE AT EACH TIME OF INTEREST WILL BE PROCESSED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE ENERGIES, VELOCITIES, AND FLUXES OF LUNAR IONS, AND TO CHARACTERIZE ALL RESULTING PERTURBATIONS TO THE LUNAR PLASMA ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING CURRENT SYSTEMS AND COMPRESSIVE FEATURES IN THE DENSITY AND MAGNETIC FIELD NEAR THE WAKE BOUNDARY. THE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FAR-MOON PROBE WILL BE PROCESSED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE CORRECT INPUT CONDITIONS FOR THE SIMULATION. PROF. HALEKAS WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO DR. LIPATOV, COMMUNICATING REGULARLY BY E-MAIL AND/OR TELEPHONE, AND WILL REPORT TO DR. LIPATOV ON THE PROGRESS OF PROPOSAL TASKS, IN SUPPORT OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRIME CONTRACT.
GENERATION AND TRANSPORT OF NITRIC OXIDE DURING GEOMAGNETIC STORMS. CO-I #3 WILL PROVIDE TIE-GCM MODELING EXPERTISE INCLUDING NO CHEMISTRY AND DYNAMICSWORKS IN TIE-GCM.
Who it works for
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY SHALL SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE IN THE DATA ANALYSIS OF AN INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING THE LINEAR-ENERGY-TRANSFER OF SOLAR, GALACTIC, AND OTHER ENERGETIC SPACE RADIATION AT THE NASA LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER (LRO) SPACECRAFT. THE COSMIC RAY TELESCOPE FOR THE EFFECTS OF RADIATION (CRATER) INSTRUMENT EMPLOYS SILICON SOLID-STATE DETECTOR AND ELECTRONICS DESIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN USED PREVIOUSLY FOR SPACEFLIGHT APPLICATIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EXPLORATION MISSION SYSTEMS DIRECTORATE PHASE. A NOVEL FEATURE OF THE INSTRUMENT IS THE INCORPORATION OF TISSUE-EQUIVALENT PLASTIC AS A MEANS OF SIMULATING THE ENERGY DEPOSIT WITHIN HUMAN TISSUE. IN ADDITION, UMBC SHALL USE MEASUREMENTS FROM OTHER LRO INSTRUMENTS, RELATED MISSIONS, AND NUMERICAL MODELS TO SUPPORT STUDIES OF THE LUNAR PARTICLE ENVIRONMENT. (1) PARTICIPATE IN PLANNING FOR OPERATIONS OF THE CRATER INSTRUMENT FLYING ON NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER'S LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER (LRO) THROUGHOUT THE LRO'S SCIENCE MISSION PHASE. PARTICIPATE IN PROJECT SCIENCE WORKING GROUP (PSWG) MEETINGS TO COORDINATE ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE PAYLOAD AND TO SHARE SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS. (2) PRESENT FINDINGS AT APPLICABLE CONFERENCES AND SUBMIT FINDINGS FOR PUBLICATION IN APPLICABLE PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS. (3) PROVIDE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL STATUS TO THE PROJECT. SUPPORT PROJECT CLOSEOUT ACTIVITIES. (4) IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS WORK, THE CONTRACTOR SHALL: ATTEND, PARTICIPATE VIA TELECON, OR SUPPORT MEETINGS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO PSWG MEETINGS AND CRATER SCIENCE TEAM MEETINGS. CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROGRAM LEVEL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LRO SCIENCE MISSION PROJECT (APPENDIX F TO THE LUNAR QUEST PROGRAM PLAN). CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS OF THE INSTRUMENT DATA SUPPORT UNH'S TECHNICAL REPORTING BY PROVIDING MONTHLY INPUTS TO UNH.
Lunar awards as prime
| Award | Description | Period | Obligated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80NSSC24M0118 | LEMS-A3: THE LUNAR ENVIRONMENT MONITORING STATION FOR ARTEMIS 3 | 2024-05-22 → 2029-05-01 | $7.4M |
| 80NSSC17K0495 | WHAT DOES THE MOON HAVE TO DO WITH EARTH OBSERVATIONS? KNOWING THE LEVEL OF LIGHT REFLECTED BY THE MOON TO A HIGH LEVEL OF ACCURACY WOULD PROVIDE A STANDARD REFERENCE WHICH CAN BE USED TO CALIBRATE EARTH-ORBITING PASSIVE SENSORS THAT ARE USED TO MAKE HIGHLY ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS OF THE EARTH. AN ESSENTIAL CLIMATE VARIABLE MEASURED FROM SPACE THAT NOTABLY REQUIRES A HIGHLY ACCURATE REFERENCE IS OCEAN COLOR WHICH IS THE RADIOMETRY OF THE SUBSURFACE OCEAN AT WAVELENGTHS IN THE VISIBLE RANGE OF THE LIGHT SPECTRUM. OCEAN COLOR PROVIDES VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT ECOSYSTEMS BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROCESSES AND WATER QUALITY IN THE UPPER LAYERS OF THE OCEAN AND OTHER WATER BODIES AND IS IMPORTANT TO THE CARBON CYCLE AND ECOSYSTEMS FOCUS AREA. IT IS ALSO A NASA OBJECTIVE TO MAINTAIN A LONG-TERM DATA RECORD OF OCEAN COLOR SPANNING DECADES AND MULTIPLE MISSIONS TO OBSERVE SECULAR CHANGES IN OCEAN BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLING AND ECOLOGY IN A GLOBALLY CHANGING CLIMATE. HOWEVER OCEAN COLOR REQUIRES CALIBRATION UNCERTAINTY OF A FEW TENTHS OF A PERCENT IN ORDER TO PRODUCE SCIENCE QUALITY DATA PRODUCTS [TURPIE ET AL. 2009] AND SMALL ERRORS CAN LEAD TO SYSTEMATIC EFFECTS THAT COULD MISLEAD INTERPRETATION OF GEOPHYSICAL PROCESSES AND TRENDS IN THE OCEAN [TURPIE ET AL. 2015; TURPIE ET AL. 2014]. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP AN AIRBORNE MEASUREMENT CAPABILITY TO SUPPORT ACCURATE ABSOLUTE LUNAR CALIBRATION OF SPACEBORNE INSTRUMENTS MAKING EARTH MEASUREMENTS INTRODUCING THE MOON AS A STABLE CONSISTENT LONG-TERM CALIBRATION REFERENCE. LUNAR CALIBRATION HAS BEEN PROVEN VITAL TO THE QUALITY OF OCEAN COLOR DATA FROM SEAWIFS AND S-NPP VIIRS AND IS A LEVEL-1 REQUIREMENT FOR PACE AND FUTURE VIIRS MISSIONS UNDER JPSS. HOWEVER THERE ARE BIASES IN THE CURRENT LUNAR CALIBRATION REFERENCE METHODOLOGY LIMITING THE USE OF THE MOON AS AN ABSOLUTE CALIBRATION REFERENCE. INSTEAD THE METHOD COSTLY VICARIOUS CALIBRATION USING A SINGLE EARTH TARGET IS EMPLOYED FOR EACH MISSION. | 2017-06-23 → 2025-09-30 | $1.2M |
| NNX16AE06G | FUTURE MISSIONS IN SPACE (SUCH AS A MISSION TO MARS OR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MOON BASE) WILL INVOLVE LONG-TERM TRAVEL BEYOND THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF THE EARTH SUBJECTING ASTRONAUTS TO RADIATION HAZARDS POSED BY SOLAR FLARES AND GALACTIC COSMIC RAYS. COSMIC RAYS ARE COMPOSED OF PROTONS ALPHA PARTICLES AND PARTICLES OF HIGH ENERGY AND CHARGE (HZE PARTICLES). PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT EXPOSURE TO SINGLE ABOVE THRESHOLD DOSES OF HZE PARTICLES AND PROTONS CAN AFFECT NEURAL FUNCTIONING AND BEHAVIOR. THESE CHANGES MAY AFFECT THE ABILITY OF ASTRONAUTS TO SUCCESSFULLY MEET MISSION REQUIREMENTS OR MAY PRODUCE DEGENERATIVE CHANGES IN NEURONAL AND BEHAVIORAL FUNCTIONING AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE MISSION. THE EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO MULTIPLE SUBTHRESHOLD DOSES OF THE SAME ORDIFFERENT PARTICLES OR PROTONS HAVE NOT BEEN EXTENSIVELY STUDIED. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH PROGRAM ARE: (1) TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF REPEATED SUBTHRESHOLD EXPOSURES TO THE SAME AND DIFFERENT HZE PARTICLES AND PROTONS ON COGNITIVE AND NEURONAL DEFICITS AND HOW THEY RELATE TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPECIFIC PARTICLE; (2) TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHANGES IN PERFORMANCEAND HZE PARTICLE- AND PROTON-INDUCED CHANGES IN OXIDATIVE STRESS INFLAMMATION SIGNALING MOLECULES AND AUTOPHAGY IN KEY BRAIN REGIONS; AND (3) TO DETERMINE HOW INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDING AGE AND SEX MAY INFLUENCE THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO HZE PARTICLE IRRADIATION. | 2016-08-01 → 2022-07-31 | $1.2M |
| 80NSSC19K0767 | PAST MISSIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE LUNAR EXOSPHERE IS VERY SENSITIVE TO SMALL CHANGES THAT AFFECT THE PLASMA ENVIRONMENT THE SURFACE OR THE INTERIOR OF THE MOON. VOLATILES IN THE EXOSPHERE PROVIDE GLOBAL TRACERS OF CHANGES IN THE LUNAR ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR DRIVING PROCESSES (WHETHER THEY ARE GEOPHYSICAL OR MANMADE IN NATURE). THOUGH PREVIOUS MISSIONS WERE SUCCESSFUL AT IDENTIFYING SHORT-TERM CHANGES THEY DID NOT LAST LONG ENOUGH AND/OR DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO CONDUCT LONG-TERM MONITORING OF THE EXOSPHERE. OUR PROPOSAL AIMS TO MATURE THE CONCEPT OF A LONG DURATION SURFACE STATION THAT MONITORS THE LUNAR EXOSPHERE. THIS COMPACT MONITORING STATION WILL BE DESIGNED TO AUTONOMOUSLY COLLECT AND RELAY MEASUREMENTS OF CHANGES IN EXOSPHERIC COMPOSITION OVER A NOMINAL 2 YEARS PERIOD. THESE EXOSPHERIC MEASUREMENTS WILL BE ACQUIRED USING A NEUTRAL MASS SPECTROMETER WITH A LONG HERITAGE OF FLIGHT IMPLEMENTATION. ADDITIONALLY THIS AUTONOMOUS STATION WILL ACCOMMODATE A LOW POWER SEISMOMETER AND PROVIDES THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A LARGER SEISMOGRAPHIC AND GEODESIC NETWORK. THIS INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT EFFORT FULLY ADDRESSES THE DALI PROGRAM OBJECTIVE OF SPACECRAFT-BASED INSTRUMENTS THAT SHOW PROMISE FOR USE IN FUTURE LUNAR MISSIONS INCLUDING EXPECTED COMMERCIAL VENTURES. SPECIFICALLY THIS PROPOSAL FOCUSES ON MATURING THE PACKAGING OF KEY THREE SUBSYSTEMS (FROM TRL 4 TO 6) ALONG WITH CHARACTERIZING THE INSTRUMENT S END-TO-END PERFORMANCE AND CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS USING A HIGH-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE. WHEN THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETE THE LUNAR ENVIRONMENT MONITORING STATION WILL BE PROPOSED FOR DEPLOYMENT ON ALL RELEVANT LUNAR LANDING MISSIONS (MANNED ROBOTIC SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS OR COMMERCIAL MISSIONS). | 2019-04-08 → 2022-07-01 | $543K |
| 80NSSC25K7758 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. | 2025-02-21 → 2028-02-20 | $521K |
| 80NSSC20K0146 | HYBRID FLUID-KINETIC MODEL OF THE PROCESSES IN THE MOON'S PLASMA ENVIRONMENT | 2019-11-14 → 2024-11-13 | $507K |
| 80NSSC25K7257 | THE ROSES FUNDING OPPORTUNITY GOALS ARE: EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. | 2024-12-05 → 2026-12-04 | $454K |
| 80NSSC25K7425 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS | 2025-01-01 → 2027-12-31 | $381K |
| 80NSSC26K0238 | THE AIRBORNE LUNAR SPECTRAL IRRADIANCE (AIR-LUSI) IS LED BY DR. KEVIN TURPIE AT UMBC CURRENTLY AT NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER (GSFC) AND IS SUPPORTED BY NASA ARMSTRONG FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER (AFRC). THE PROJECT OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE HIGH-ACCURAC | 2025-08-05 → 2026-08-04 | $287K |
| 80NSSC25K7651 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE | 2025-01-31 → 2030-01-30 | $268K |
| 80NSSC21K0531 | THE ORIGIN OF THE SATURNIAN RING-MOON SYSTEM IS DEBATED AND ONE OF THE TWO COMPETING MODELS SUPPORTING A YOUNG MOON HYPOTHESIS HAS RECENTLY GAINED MOMENTUM FROM OBSERVATIONAL EVIDENCES. THESE EVIDENCES WERE DERIVED THROUGH THE ESTIMATION OF ORBITAL | 2021-03-01 → 2025-02-28 | $208K |
| 80NSSC21K1893 | THE PROPOSED EFFORT WILL DOCUMENT AND ASSESS POTENTIAL SOURCES OF UNCERTAINTY IN COMPARISONS BETWEEN CALIBRATED OBSERVATIONS OF THE MOON BY MULTIPLE SATELLITES. THE WORK WILL QUANTIFY KEY UNCERTAINTY SOURCES IN THE LUNAR SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS. TO THIS END THE PROPOSED STUDY WILL BUILD ON PRIOR WORK AND DATA TO UNDERSTAND ERROR SOURCES STEMMING FROM SCAN GEOMETRY SIZE-OF-SOURCE EFFECT AND VARIOUS KNOW DETECTOR BIASES. THE SUCCESS OF THE TERRA PROJECT RELIES ON THE RESULTS OF STUDIES EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF ITS IMAGING SENSORS. THE PROPOSED WORK WILL PROVIDE THE TERRA COMMUNITY AND OTHER SATELLITE-BASED IMAGERS WITHIN NASA EARTH SCIENCES WITH THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO EXPLOIT LUNAR-BASED OBSERVATIONS AS A RADIOMETRIC CALIBRATION TOOL. THE RESULTS WILL BE OF INTEREST TO LANDSAT NEXT THE SUSTAINABLE LAND IMAGING PROGRAM THE SURFACE BIOLOGY AND GEOLOGY PROJECTS AND PLANKTON AEROSOL CLOUD AND OCEAN ECOSYSTEM MISSION. THE RESULTS WILL ALSO HAVE BROADER APPLICABILITY TO THE CALIBRATION OF ANY OF THE NASA EARTH IMAGING ASSET OPERATING IN THE SOLAR REFLECTIVE AND ALLOW NASA ASSETS TO BE COMPARED DIRECTLY WITH INTERNATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL IMAGERS. | 2021-10-01 → 2023-09-30 | $174K |
| 80NSSC17K0419 | KNOWLEDGE OF THE INTERIOR STRUCTURE OF A PLANET IS IMPORTANT IN UNDERSTANDING ITS FORMATION AND EVOLUTION. THE GRAVITY RECOVERY AND INTERIOR LABORATORY (GRAIL) MISSION WAS DESIGNED TO MAP THE MOON FROM CRUST TO CORE AND IT HAS RESULTED IN A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE MOON'S STRUCTURE FORMATION AND THERMAL HISTORY. IN ADDITION TO PRODUCING HIGH-RESOLUTION GRAVITY FIELD MODELS GRAIL SPECIFICALLY HELPED TO CONSTRAIN THE MOON'S MASS MOMENT OF INERTIA AND THE DEGREE 2 POTENTIAL LOVE NUMBERS (DIMENSIONLESS PARAMETERS DESCRIBING THE MOON'S RESPONSE TO TIDAL FORCES). IN TURN THESE PARAMETERS CONSTRAIN THE INTERIOR STRUCTURE PARAMETERS OF THE MOON SUCH AS THE CORE RADIUS AND THE RADII OF OTHER LAYERS USED IN THE MODELING. HOWEVER DESPITE GRAIL'S EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS CURRENT OBSERVATIONAL CONSTRAINTS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO FIRMLY DETERMINE SEVERAL PARAMETERS RELATED TO THE DEEP INTERIOR STRUCTURE OF THE MOON SUCH AS WHETHER OR NOT AN INNER CORE EXISTS AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A TRANSITIONAL LAYER BETWEEN THE OUTER CORE AND MANTLE. DETERMINING THE FREQUENCY-DEPENDENCE OF PARAMETERS SUCH AS THE DEGREE 2 LOVE NUMBERS AND DISSIPATION FACTORS CAN RESOLVE SUCH ISSUES. CURRENTLY ONLY LUNAR LASER RANGING (LLR) INDICATES A WEAK DEPENDENCE ON FREQUENCY FOR DISSIPATION BUT WITH A SIGN THAT IS OPPOSITE TO WHAT IS EXPECTED. FREQUENCY-DEPENDENT LOVE NUMBERS HAVE NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. HERE WE PROPOSE TO INVESTIGATE THE FREQUENCY-DEPENDENCE OF THE DEGREE 2 LOVE NUMBERS AND TIDAL DISSIPATION FACTOR Q BY USING TRACKING DATA FROM MULTIPLE SATELLITE MISSIONS: WE WILL COMBINE LOW-ALTITUDE TRACKING DATA FROM LUNAR PROSPECTOR (LP) AND TRACKING AND PRECISE LASER RANGING DATA FROM THE LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER (LRO) AND THE GRAIL DATA TO DETERMINE FREQUENCY-DEPENDENT LOVE NUMBERS AND DISSIPATION USING RECENT GRAIL GRAVITY FIELD MODELS. BY INCLUDING MULTIPLE MISSIONS WE WILL GREATLY EXTEND THE TEMPORAL BASELINE (FROM 6 MONTHS TO MORE THAN A DECADE) FOR THE ESTIMATION OF PARAMETERS THAT ARE DETERMINED INHERENTLY FROM TIME-VARYING EFFECTS ON THE SATELLITE ORBITS. WE WILL LEVERAGE OUR EXPERIENCE IN PROCESSING LUNAR TRACKING DATA WITH OUR ANALYSIS SOFTWARE GEODYN II AS WELL AS OUR TEAM'S EXPERIENCE IN INTERPRETING THE GRAVITY DATA. WE WILL IMPLEMENT NEW PARAMETERS THAT DESCRIBE THE EFFECTS OF FREQUENCY-DEPENDENT LOVE NUMBERS AND DISSIPATION ON THE ACCELERATION EXERTED ON LUNAR ORBITERS. WE WILL PROCESS LOW-ALTITUDE LP DATA AND LRO DATA TOGETHER WITH THE GRAIL DATA USING THE MOST UP-TO-DATE GRAIL GRAVITY FIELD MODELS TO ESTIMATE THESE NEW PARAMETERS AND OTHER DEEP INTERIOR PARAMETERS. WE WILL USE THE RESULTS OF THIS ANALYSIS COMBINED WITH OTHER CONSTRAINTS IN A BAYESIAN INVERSION TO CONSTRAIN THE INTERIOR STRUCTURE OF THE MOON. OUR PROPOSAL IS HIGHLY RELEVANT TO THE LUNAR DATA ANALYSIS PROGRAM. WE USE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TRACKING DATA FROM THREE MISSIONS: LP LRO AND GRAIL. OUR ANALYSIS WILL GREATLY ENHANCE THE SCIENCE RETURN OF ALL OF THESE MISSIONS AND MOREOVER OUR ANALYSIS WILL BE THE FIRST OF SUCH AN ANALYSIS ON THESE COMBINED DATA SETS. OUR PROPOSED RESEARCH ADDRESSES SEVERAL HIGH-PRIORITY AREAS OF LUNAR RESEARCH STATED IN THE PROGRAM NOTICE: DETERMINING THE SIZE AND STATE OF THE LUNAR CORE AND THE MODELING OF THE LUNAR GRAVITATIONAL FIELD. IN ADDITION OUR PROPOSED RESEARCH ADDRESSES ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE GOALS AS STATED IN NASA'S DECADAL SURVEY FOR PLANETARY SCIENCE NAMELY "UNDERSTANDING THE ORIGIN AND DIVERSITY OF TERRESTRIAL PLANETS" BY CHARACTERIZING "PLANETARY INTERIORS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY DIFFERENTIATE AND DYNAMICALLY EVOLVE FROM THEIR INITIAL STATE". | 2017-08-09 → ? | $164K |
| 80NSSC25K7536 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS | 2025-02-16 → 2027-02-15 | $163K |
| NNX16AN53G | EXOSPHERIC WATER AND HYDROXYL FROM LADEE DATA AND MODELS THIS PROPOSAL WILL COMBINE DATASETS FROM TWO LUNAR ATMOSPHERE AND DUST ENVIRONMENT EXPLORER | 2016-07-19 → 2020-07-18 | $156K |
| 80NSSC25K7543 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. | 2024-12-31 → 2026-12-30 | $136K |
| 80NSSC25K7121 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. | 2024-10-01 → 2026-09-30 | $72K |
| 80NSSC25K7657 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS | 2025-02-01 → 2026-12-31 | $70K |
| 80NSSC25K7086 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. | 2025-01-01 → 2026-12-31 | $66K |
| 80NSSC25K7380 | EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENCY S EXPLORATION INITIATIVE FOCUSING ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF ON AND FROM THE MOON LUNAR ORBIT MARS AND BEYOND. ADVANCE DISCOVERY IN EMERGING FIELDS BY IDENTIFYING AND EXPLOITING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES DEVELOP A DIRECTORATE-WIDE TARGET-USER FOCUSED APPROACH TO APPLIED PROGRAMS INCLUDING EARTH SCIENCE APPLICATIONS SPACE WEATHER PLANETARY DEFENSE AND SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. | 2025-09-01 → 2026-08-31 | $37K |
| 80NSSC24K0632 | TACKLING THE SUN AND MOON CONTAMINATION ON FERMI LAT LIGHT CURVES | 2024-04-01 → 2026-02-11 | $8K |