Lunar Surface Science Workshop – Uncrewed Science with the Pressurized Rover

Space Exploration

Workshop Dates

Day 1: April 9 (Wed), 2025, 6 - 9 pm (CT), April 10 (Thu), 2025, 8 – 11 am (JST)
Day 2: April 10 (Thu), 2025, 6 – 9 pm (CT), April 11 (Fri), 2025, 8 – 11 am (JST)

Background and Motivation

The Pressurized Rover (PR) is a mobile pressurized vehicle that enables exploration of the lunar surface with and without crew. The PR is being developed as a partnership between NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to support Artemis. It is expected that crew will inhabit the PR for ~28 days per year to explore the lunar south pole region with the remainder of the time dedicated to uncrewed operations. During the uncrewed phase, the PR is expected to explore areas beyond the crewed phase landing site to achieve mutual NASA and JAXA science objectives.

The purpose of this workshop is to discuss the scientific potential and uses of the PR for uncrewed science exploration of the lunar surface and environment. The workshop will inform science communities about expected PR design and uncrewed PR capabilities, build collaborations across communities, and solicit input on potential exploration locations and payload types. It is expected that several workshops focused on PR science will follow leading up to the PR arrival at the lunar surface expected in 2031.

Goals

Communicate expected PR design and capabilities to the greater science communities.
Foster collaborations among USA and Japanese and other science communities, including across planetary science, biological science, physical science, and human research disciplines.
Identify cross-disciplinary science questions and compatible exploration areas within the expected PR mission constraints.
Identify science instruments that leverage the exploration abilities of the PR.

Discussion Topics and Expected Sessions

Pressurized Rover Concept
JAXA PR Science Objectives
NASA overarching lunar science objectives
Science regions of interest in lunar south polar region and beyond south polar region
A reference list of possible science instruments relevant to PR

Expected Outcomes

New ideas and inputs for NASA and JAXA from the greater science community
Identification and prioritization of science objectives that leverage PR capabilities
Reference list of possible science instruments that maximize capability of PR
Operational concept opportunities for uncrewed science with PR
Operational concept gaps, limitations, and challenges for PR

Expected Participants

NASA and JAXA PR Project scientists and engineers and program stakeholders
Academia/researchers from planetary science, biological science, physical science, and human research disciplines
Science instrument developers
Industry

PR Mission Concepts and Expected Capabilities

To focus on the workshop, PR’s notional expected capabilities and mission concepts that serve to guide abstract submission and presentations are outlined in the following material attached to this;

Appendix A: PR Mission Concepts and Expected CapabilitiesPDF

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Please keep in mind that these may differ from the actual capabilities and constraints as the project evolves.

Path Forward

Further instructions will be provided via separate announcement. Those who are interested in presenting during LSSW sessions will be requested to provide short abstracts.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: This workshop is NOT intended for any potential PR mission-related solicitations (e.g., instrument proposals). The timeline for soliciting PR onboard instruments and/or mission team members has not yet been decided.

Further instructions will be provided via separate announcement. Those who are interested in presenting during LSSW sessions will be requested to provide short abstracts.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: This workshop is NOT intended for any potential PR mission-related solicitations (e.g., instrument proposals). The timeline for soliciting PR onboard instruments and/or mission team members has not yet been decided.

Contacts

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