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What is ESA’s Moonlight initiative?
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By NASA
The airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance (air-LUSI) instrument is moved across the hangar floor by robotic engineer Alexander McCafferty-Leroux ,from right to left, co-investigator Dr. John Woodward, NIST astronomer Dr. Susana Deustua, air-LUSI chief system engineer Dr. Kathleen “Kat” Scanlon, and members of the ER-2 ground crew at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in March 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris Flying high above the clouds and moon-gazing may sound like a scene from a timeless romance, but NASA did just that in the name of Earth science research. In March 2025 pilots took the agency’s ER-2 science aircraft on a series of night flights over NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, as the Moon increased in visible size. For those few nights, the high-flying plane was converted into a one-of-a-kind airborne lunar observatory.
The Airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance, or air-LUSI, mission observed the Moon at different phases and measured the sunlight reflected by the lunar surface. Specifically, the instrument tracks the amount of light reflected at different wavelengths. This information enables scientists to use the Moon as a calibration tool for Earth-observing sensors.
As an “absolute reference, the Moon also becomes the perfect benchmark for satellites to consistently and accurately measure processes on Earth,” said Kevin Turpie, air-LUSI’s principal investigator and a researcher based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. This helps scientists to improve the precision of many different measurements, including data on weather patterns, vegetation growth, and ocean conditions.
As the highest-flying platform for airborne science, the ER-2 can fly the air-LUSI instrument in the stratosphere, above 95% of the atmosphere. Data collected at an altitude nearing 70,000 feet are highly accurate because the air is predominantly clear of the gases and particles found in the lower atmosphere that can interfere with measurements.
The ER-2 aircraft is parked in a hangar at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in March 2025. The plane is prepared for takeoff to support the airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance, or air-LUSI, mission.NASA/Genaro Vavuris “To date, air-LUSI measurements of the Moon are the most accurate ever made,” said Kelsey Bisson, the NASA program scientist supporting the mission. “Air-LUSI data can advance our ability to understand the Earth and our weather, and they provide a new way to calibrate satellites that can result in cost savings.”
The quality of these data has transformative implications for satellite and Earth observing systems. The improved accuracy and enhanced ability provided by air-LUSI data flown on the ER-2 reduces the need for onboard reference devices, effectually cutting satellite costs.
The air-LUSI project is a collaboration between scientists and engineers from NASA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and McMaster University in Ontario.
The ER-2 ground crew Wissam Habbal, left, and Dr. Kevin Turpie, airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance (air-LUSI) principal investigator, guide delicate fiber optic and electric cabling into place while uploading the air-LUSI instrument onto the ER-2 aircraft in March 2025 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Genaro Vavuris “The collective effort of the American and Canadian team members offers an opportunity for truly exciting engineering and science collaboration,” said Andrew Gadsden, associate professor and associate chair for graduate studies in mechanical engineering at McMaster University, and co-investigator on the air-LUSI project. The McMaster team developed the Autonomous Robotic Telescope Mount Instrument System and High-Altitude Aircraft Mounted Robotic (HAAMR) telescope mount, which support the air-LUSI system.
Dr. John Woodward, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and co-investigator on the airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance (air-LUSI) mission, prepares the instrument for upload onto the ER-2 aircraft in March 2025 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Genaro Vavuris The HAAMR telescope mount was integrated onto the ER-2 and flown for the first time during the science flights in March. This new lunar tracking system is contributing to what John Woodward IV, co-investigator for air-LUSI, called the “highest accuracy measurements” of moonlight. To improve Earth observation technology, air-LUSI represents an important evolutionary step.
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By Space Force
The Department of Defense released the memorandum Interim Guidance for Executive Order 14222, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Cost Efficiency Initiative.”
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By European Space Agency
Imagine a near future where services such as satellite navigation, video conferencing, and file sharing are as seamless on the Moon as they are on Earth.
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By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
An automated fiber placement machine on an industrial robot is seen at Fives Machining Systems Inc. Fives is one of the new partners joining a NASA project that explores ways to speed up the production of composite aircraft.Fives Machining Systems Inc. Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation and Fives Machining Systems Inc. have joined 20 other organizations to support NASA’s Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project.
The project is addressing industry’s needs to meet growing demand for air travel, replace aging airliners, and secure U.S. competitiveness in the commercial aircraft industry.
NASA and its partners are collaborating and sharing costs to increase the manufacturing rate for aircraft components made from composite (nonmetallic) materials. Gulfstream and Fives are the newest members in a public-private partnership called the Advanced Composites Consortium.
Advanced Composites Consortium
Members of the Consortium have significant and unique expertise in aircraft design, manufacturing, certification, testing, and tool development, with the new members bringing important new insights and capabilities to the team.
“By partnering with U.S. industry, academia, and regulators, we’ll increase the likelihood of impacting the next generation of transports,” said Richard Young, manager for NASA’s HiCAM project, which oversees the consortium.
The team is currently competing concepts to determine which technologies will have the greatest impact on manufacturing rates. Once the most promising concepts are selected, they’ll be demonstrated at full scale.
The project and Advanced Composites Consortium contribute to NASA’s Sustainable Flight National Partnership by enabling broader use of lightweight composite airframes, which will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, improving air quality and the environment.
HiCAM is managed under NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program.
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Last Updated Aug 22, 2024 EditorJim BankeContactRobert Margettarobert.j.margetta@nasa.gov Related Terms
Aeronautics Advanced Air Vehicles Program Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Green Aviation Tech Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing Sustainable Flight National Partnership View the full article
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By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
A fire burns in Fishlake National Forest, as part of the Fall 2023 FASMEE prescribed burn. NASA/ Grace Weikert Background
Fire is a natural occurrence in many ecosystems and can promote ecological health. However, wildfires are growing in scope and occurring more often than in the past. Among other causes this is due to human-caused climate impacts and the expansion of communities into areas with wildland vegetation. These blazes continue to significantly harm communities, public health, and natural ecosystems. NASA is leveraging cutting-edge science and technology to better understand wildland fire behavior and provide valuable tools for fire policy, response, and mitigation.
NASA’s Stake in Wildfire
NASA’s contributions to wildland fire management span decades. This includes research to better understand the role fire plays in Earth’s dynamic atmosphere, and airborne and spaceborne sensors to analyze fire lifecycles. Much of this research and technology is still used by wildfire agencies across the globe today. NASA is building on this research and technology development with the Wildland Fire Management Initiative (WMI).
WMI leverages expertise across the Agency in space technology, science, and aeronautics to improve wildfire research and response. Through this effort, NASA and its partners will continue to provide tools and technologies for improved predictive fire modeling, risk assessment, fire prevention, suppression and post-fire recovery operations. NASA’s WMI aims to equip responders with improved tools for managing these fires
How NASA is Tackling Wildfire
NASA is collaborating with other government agencies, academia, and commercial industries to build a concept of operations for the future of wildland fire management. This means identifying gaps in current wildland fire technologies and procedures and laying out clear solutions to address those challenges.
NASA will perform a demonstration of wildland fire technologies – including X – in the coming years.
To provide a well-rounded toolkit for improving wildland operations, NASA and is tackling every aspect of wildland fire response. These efforts include:
Pre-Fire
Fuel fire maps with improved accuracy Tools that identify where and when safe, preventative burn treatments would be most effective Airspace management and safety technologies to enable mainstream use of uncrewed aircraft systems in prescribed burns Active Fire
Fire detection and tracking imagery Improved fire information management systems Models for changing fire conditions, including fire behavior, and wind and atmospheric tracking for quality forecasts Uncrewed aircraft and high-altitude balloons for real-time communications for fighting fires in harsh environments Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) to expand use of uncrewed aircraft systems in fire response, particularly in environments where traditional air traffic control technologies aren’t available An airspace awareness and communications system to enable remotely piloted aircraft to identify, monitor, and suppress wildfires 24 hours a day Post-Fire
Improved fire impact assessments, including fire severity, air and water quality, risks of landslides, debris flows, and burn scars Ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne observations to develop monitoring systems for air quality and map burn severity and develop and enhance models and predictions of post-fire hazards NASA’s Disasters Response Coordination System (DRCS) supports all three fire response aspects listed above. The DRCS, developed under the Agency’s Earth Science Division’s Disasters Program, provides decisional support to international and domestic operational response agencies. This support includes products for understanding wildfire movement and potential pathways, burn-area maps, and impacts of fire, ash, and smoke to population and critical infrastructure. DCRS tools also provide assessments of post-fire flooding and debris flow susceptibility.
NASA’s Investment in New Wildland Fire Technologies
NASA’s WMI offers grants, contracts, and prizes to small businesses, research institutions, and other wildland technology innovators. Some related technology development activities underway include:
Testing communications technologies for incident response teams in areas with no cellphone coverage via a high-altitude balloon 60,000 feet above ground level Developing wildfire detection systems and instruments for crewed and uncrewed aircraft Funding early-stage technology development for remote sensing instruments and sensor systems Developing and flight testing integrated, compact systems for small spacecraft and other platforms for autonomous detection, location tracking, and data collection of transient smoke plumes, early wildfires and other events Licensing technologies relevant to wildland fire management and hosting wildland fire webinars to promote NASA technology licensing Partners
The NASA Wildland Fire Management Initiative team collaborates with industry, academia, philanthropic institutions, and other government agencies for a more fire-resilient future. These include:
U.S. Forest Service The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The Federal Aviation Administration The Department of Homeland Security The Department of Defense The National Wildfire Coordinating Group WMI Deliverables
Through these combined efforts, NASA aims to address urgent wildland fire management challenges and ensure communities are better prepared for wildland fires. NASA will continue to expand partnerships within wildland fire management agencies for technology development and adoptions.
For more information, email: Agency-WildlandFiresInitiative@mail.nasa.gov
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