ORLANDO, Fla. — Editor’s note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal.
The University of Central Florida’s Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) payload is hitching a ride with Firefly Aerospace in 2028 for a science and exploration operation aimed at analyzing the Gruithuisen Domes on the near side of the moon.
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The multi-instrument payload, built by BAE Systems and Arizona State University, will gather data on the moon’s surface over the period of 10 Earth days. That investigation will focus on how silica-rich volcanic features are formed in an effort to understand geologic processes of early planetary bodies and how those may be used as a resource in future exploration.
Lunar-VISE consists of two stationary and three mobile instruments used to study rocks and regoliths on the summit of one of the domes. The payload is expected to undergo a system integration and acceptance reviews check in August as a final step in ensuring “all components are suitable and safe for intended operations.
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