It is NASA's intent to issus a Sole Source award for the follow on effort of Conrtact 80MSFC20C0025 for Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment to Regent of t...

BackgroundThe Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment (LuSEE) was one of the payloads selected as part of the Lunar Surface Instruments & Technology (LSITP) Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) solicitation issued in February 2019.  The original call solicited proposals for payloads that would be integrated onto and delivered to the lunar surface by commercial lunar landers.  The call was an opportunity for flight payloads that did not require significant additional development and the investigations were sought that addressed the science goals of the four Science Mission Directorate divisions (Planetary, Earth Science, Heliophysics, Astrophysics).  The call was for Principal Investigator led (PI-led) science instrument and technology investigations.  The technologies of primary interest for this call were those needed to enable or enhance capabilities for future science or exploration operations, transportation, or commercial development of the Moon.

Technology demonstration payloads were proposed if the demonstration on the lunar surface or in route to the lunar surface was critically needed and the demonstration cannot be accomplished on Earth or in any other more accessible test environment. Areas of interest for technology demonstrations included:In situ resource utilization (ISRU) for consumables production, manufacturing, and construction. Of particular interest is the acquisition and processing of lunar volatiles or mineral oxides to produce oxygen and fuels for propulsion, power, and life support systems.Power generation, distribution, and energy storageThermal management, including cryogenic fluid management and survival and operation of components and systems in extreme hot and cold environments including lunar night, lunar noon, and permanently shadowed areasTechnologies to support the operation of landers, ascent vehicles, and surface mobility including navigation, autonomous precision landing, and hazard avoidanceTechnologies to support robotic and human surface operations and habitation.The original LuSEE project is now referred to as “LuSEE Light” and it is designed to only operate during one lunar day cycle. Science is greatly enhanced, potentially groundbreaking, by further developing LuSEE to survive the night. NASA has partnered with the Department of Energy (DOE) on this extended LuSEE Light capability, a project now termed “LuSEE Night”. LuSEE Night will address science goals of the Planetary, Heliophysics and Astrophysics Divisions of SMD in addition to supporting the dark matter and dark energy related science goals of the High Energy Physics Division of the DOE.LuSEE Night will measure low frequency radio emission (< 20 MHz) as a pathfinder to a future lunar radio array. The lunar surface has been identified as an ideal location for an array to measure the radio signatures of the cosmological 21cm line associated with the prestellar 'Dark Ages' where exotic physics, including scattering of baryons by dark matter may be detectable. However, the radio environment of the surface is unknown: LuSEE Night will make the first measurements from the lunar surface.