Small Spacecraft Technology
Lunar Flashlight
Project Description
Lunar Flashlight (LF) is a 6u class CubeSat that will use near infrared lasers to shine light into permanently shadowed craters at the lunar south pole while the on-board spectrometer measures surface reflection and composition to map water ice deposits and volatiles. The spacecraft is currently planned to launch with the Artemis-1 mission. The CubeSat uses an optical receiver aligned with four lasers that sequentially pulse the lunar landscape to look for water ice and other volatiles associated with lunar cold traps. < https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/What_is_Lunar_Flashlight >
More »Anticipated Benefits
This demonstration will increase science knowledge of water resources at the lunar south pole.
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) | Lead Organization | FFRDC/UARC | Pasadena, California |
| Johns Hopkins University: Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) | Supporting Organization | FFRDC/UARC | Laurel, Maryland |
Marshall Space Flight Center
(MSFC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Huntsville, Alabama |
| University of Southern California (USC) | Supporting Organization | Academia | Los Angeles, California |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Alabama
-
Maryland
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