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Navigating Lunar Landings: NASA’s SCALPSS Captures Unique Imagery
A groundbreaking achievement has emerged from NASA’s Langley Research Center located in Hampton, Virginia. The center has successfully captured unprecedented imagery of the engine plumes from a lunar lander interacting with the Moon’s surface. This crucial data is particularly significant as lunar missions are poised to increase in frequency under NASA’s Artemis program in the coming years.
The images were obtained using the Stereo Cameras for Lunar-Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) 1.1 instrument during the descent phase and subsequent soft landing of the Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost lunar lander on March 2. This landing took place in the Mare Crisium region and forms part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
The sequence of images, albeit limited in resolution, provides a preliminary view of the Blue Ghost’s final descent, pieced together by NASA researchers from four short-focal-length cameras aboard SCALPSS 1.1. These cameras recorded footage at a rate of eight frames per second, leading to a rich visual dataset. The sequence showcases the lander’s approach, beginning roughly 91 feet (28 meters) above the Moon’s surface, with significant interaction occurring at about 49 feet (15 meters). During descent, the lander’s thruster plumes agitated the lunar dust, soil, and rocks—collectively referred to as regolith—resulting in a visually dynamic scene. Following touchdown, the lander’s thrusters ceased operation, allowing the dust to settle, revealing the terrain beneath and immediately surrounding the lander.
Rob Maddock, the project manager for SCALPSS, emphasized the potential of the collected data. “The 3,000-plus images obtained thus far appear to contain precisely the information we require to enhance our understanding of plume-surface interaction,” he stated. “This will be instrumental in developing more accurate models for future lunar landers and surface infrastructures. Our team of scientists and engineers has done an exceptional job.”
As increasing numbers of lunar landings take place, the need for precise predictions of plume interactions becomes imperative. The data derived from SCALPSS is expected to significantly inform the planning and execution of both robotic and crewed lunar missions.
The SCALPSS 1.1’s technology comprises six cameras in total—four short-focal-length and two long-focal-length options. The long-focal-length cameras allowed the team to capture images at higher altitudes before plume interactions commenced, facilitating a detailed before-and-after comparison of the Moon’s surface. Through a method known as stereo photogrammetry, overlapping images from both camera types will be combined to create three-dimensional digital elevation models of the landscape.
The instrument remains operational on the lunar surface. As lunar days progress, it will continue to observe and document the varying surface details illuminated and cast in shadow. The team aims to capture additional images during the lunar night to analyze how the dust behavior changes with the temperature shifts.
Michelle Munk, the principal investigator of SCALPSS, pointed out the significance of this successful operation in advancing our fundamental understanding of lunar landings. “This technology is yielding valuable data that can influence the direction of future missions,” she noted.
The complete processing of data from the Blue Ghost landing is expected to take several months. NASA plans to release the raw images gathered by SCALPSS 1.1 to the public through its Planetary Data System within a six-month timeframe.
The team is already gearing up for its next mission aboard Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander, which is scheduled for launch later this year. The next iteration of SCALPSS is currently undergoing thermal vacuum testing at NASA Langley and is set for delivery to Blue Origin by late March.
This initiative is supported by the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Development program, illustrating NASA’s ongoing collaboration with American commercial entities to propel scientific and technological advancements on the lunar surface under the CLPS initiative. Through this endeavor, a diverse array of companies competes to deliver payloads for NASA—covering everything from integration and operations to launches from Earth and landings on the Moon.
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www.nasa.gov