Moon
NASA Lunar Surface Technology
RASSOR, IPEx, Mason, Lunar Reactor-1, and Harmonia technologies for sustained lunar operations.
Active technology-development portfolio. IPEx, Mason, and Harmonia remain in development; Lunar Reactor-1 is targeted to be ready for launch by 2030; RASSOR is the tested excavation precursor to IPEx.
Official mission site ↗The mission
NASA's lunar surface technology portfolio develops the excavation, construction, and power systems needed for a sustained Moon base. The article's named systems are the RASSOR excavation precursor, Infrastructure Pilot Excavator (IPEx), Mason regolith-construction technology, Lunar Reactor-1 fission surface power, and Harmonia radioisotope power technology.
The launch
- Launch
- Multiple demonstrations; dates vary
- Launch location
- Not documented
- Launch vehicle
- Not documented
- Orbit
- Not documented
Mission timeline
RASSOR lunar-regolith testing
2019
NASA tested RASSOR in lunar simulant at Kennedy Space Center.
Open milestone source ↗Objectives
- 01
Excavate and transport lunar regolith autonomously.
- 02
Turn local regolith into useful construction material and infrastructure.
- 03
Provide dependable fission and radioisotope power through the lunar night.
- 04
Reduce dependence on supplies launched from Earth.
Spacecraft
RASSOR
Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot; lightweight counter-rotating bucket-drum excavator.
- Manufacturer
- NASA Kennedy Space Center
Infrastructure Pilot Excavator (IPEx)
RASSOR-derived robotic bulldozer and dump truck designed to excavate up to 10,000 kg of regolith in one lunar day.
- Manufacturer
- NASA Kennedy Space Center
Mason
Technology for processing lunar regolith into construction feedstock and infrastructure elements.
- Manufacturer
- NASA and Redwire
Lunar Reactor-1
Lunar nuclear surface-power system targeted to be ready for launch by 2030.
- Manufacturer
- NASA and U.S. Department of Energy
- Power
- Fission
Harmonia
Long-duration radioisotope power system intended for lunar surface assets.
- Manufacturer
- NASA and Zeno Power
- Power
- Radioisotope
Gallery
One image from NASA Lunar Surface Technology.
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