SCIENCE

NASA picks new payload for Artemis

By Sanjana Shankar

1

Artemis

NASA's upcoming Artemis missions will carry a new scientific payload, DIMPLE (Dating an Irregular Mare Patch with a Lunar Explorer), to study volcanic "hilly terrains" on the Moon.

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Exploring the Moon

Researchers aim to study the Ina Irregular Mare Patch, a volcanic deposit on the Moon, to better understand lunar evolution.

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Irregular Mare Patches

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has identified about 70 Irregular Mare Patches, out of which Ina is the largest, making it an interesting target.

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Instrument

DIMPLE will contain a rover, a "collection gripping instrument, and a spectrometer to analyze the age and composition of samples collected on Ina.

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Investigations

DIMPLE will be able to analyze from three to over 25 samples which can help trace when Irregular Mare Patches could have formed from volcanic activity.

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