About
How can we explore the moon’s permanently shadowed regions to help the future of space travel?
The moon’s permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) are some of the most enigmatic and difficult environments in our solar system, yet they offer substantial opportunities for advancing lunar science and enabling sustainable space exploration. The Variable Exploratory Lunar Observation System (VELOS), developed in collaboration with ASU’s Luminosity Lab, is an innovative launcher and probe system designed specifically for this purpose.
VELOS was chosen as one of eight finalist teams in NASA’s Breakthrough, Innovative, and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge, with the goal of exploring the moon’s PSRs. This system is both scalable and modular, allowing it to deploy multiple sensor probes that can gather essential environmental data and relay it back through a robust mesh network. By providing a lightweight and cost-effective solution, VELOS lowers the barriers to accessing these extreme lunar environments.
Furthermore, VELOS is designed to be adaptable for various missions and scientific payloads, facilitating new discoveries while supporting the Artemis program. It exemplifies the potential of student-driven innovation to address complex challenges in space exploration.
Status
Past
Category
Technology development and demonstration | Research and science
Environment
Moon and Mars
Contact
Key accomplishments
- Conducted tests on a prototype lunar surface probe developed by ASU’s Luminosity Lab using a newly commissioned thermal vacuum chamber (TVAC) in fall 2020.
- Simulated cryogenic and vacuum conditions, along with launch and landing scenarios, to evaluate the probe’s performance.
- Confirmed the probe’s ability to activate and transmit successfully under extreme environmental conditions.
- Selected as one of eight finalist teams in NASA’s 2020 Breakthrough, Innovative, and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge.
In the news: ASU VELOS Team Finalist in NASA Big Idea Challenge
For further details, watch the video on the testing process and outcomes.
News
ASU students’ lunar exploration system is a finalist in NASA competition
January 26, 2022 | Sally Young
ASU students, dubbed ‘lifeguards,’ developed a device to capture ground-level footage of lunar landings for NASA.
A competition like this is basically the first step on the road map that NASA has built to advance projects, which is really awesome.
Team
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