125 Lunar Science and Exploration in the Artemis Era

Current and anticipated science return in the areas of geology, composition, and interior of the Moon from current lunar-focused studies and upcoming payloads expected to land on the Moon in the next decade.

Monday, 20 October 2025
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, 214C

Spectral Maps of CLPS and Artemis Lunar Landing Sites in the UV with LRO LAMP

Paper number: 125-8
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 3:20 PM – 3:35 PM

Authors

Abstract

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has enabled an unrivaled view of the Moon through its suite of instruments. The Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project’s (LAMP) UV spectral data from 57 to 196 nm offers a unique perspective into the composition and surface properties of key lunar terrains. In this work, we present high signal-to-noise (SNR) UV spectral maps derived from LRO LAMP observations across several priority landing sites identified for past and near-term NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions and future Artemis crewed landings. The UV range probed by LAMP is particularly sensitive to electronic transitions and surface maturity indicators, making it well-suited for detecting subtle mineralogical variations, identifying space-weathering effects, and studying volatiles. We leverage our refined processing pipelines to co-add and calibrate multiple years of LAMP data, yielding high-SNR maps with improved spatial and spectral resolution.

We present maps from a number of key sites of interest. At the lunar south pole, our maps enable the analysis of diverse regions near permanently shadowed craters to evaluate UV reflectance differences and volatile signatures. Maps of the Gruithuisen Domes, Reiner Gamma, Mare Crisium, and the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin data reveal contrasting UV spectral ratios and unusual surface albedo patterns that may be due to their unique origins. The resulting spectral maps provide essential context for landing site characterization, helping to identify areas of geologic diversity, potential resource-bearing regions, and data to help contextualize in situ measurements. These UV observations complement existing visible and near-infrared datasets, filling a key gap in spectral coverage and interpretation of surface processes. This dataset and analysis support current and future CLPS missions, Artemis science objectives, and future remote sensing campaigns.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-414445

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