Artemis III Science Definition Team

Artemis

About

In September 2020 a Science Definition Team was assembled by the Planetary Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate to provide compelling and executable science objectives for the Artemis III mission, the first human mission to the surface of the Moon in the 21st century. The SDT was tasked with assessing objectives for the Artemis III mission to achieve the science goals articulated by NASA, including investigation approaches, key surface science activities, and potential inputs into the concept of operations.

The SDT was requested to delineate the science goals, objectives, and investigations to be addressed by the Artemis III mission based upon recommendations from the LEAG United States Lunar Exploration Roadmap, the 2007 NRC Scientific Context for the Exploration of the Moon report, and the LEAG Advancing Science of the Moon report, as well as to consider Decadal Survey-recommended goals and objectives, but refined and focused in light of scientific advances since the Decadal Survey’s publication. They were further asked to include a science traceability matrix, based upon the Artemis III reference mission architecture, and to provide relative priorities of potential surface investigations.

To allow for input from the community and to ensure that the most up-to-date science was included, white papers were solicited in an open call to the community, 124 papers were received and reviewed by the Team.

  Terms of Reference

Membership

Co-chairs:

  • Renee Weber, NASA MSFC
  • Barbara Cohen, NASA GSFC
  • Sam Lawrence, NASA JSC

Civil Servant Members:

  • Jeremy Boyce, NASA JSC
  • Michael Collier, NASA GSFC
  • Caleb Fassett, NASA MSFC
  • Lisa Gaddis, USGS Astrogeology
  • John Gruener, NASA JSC
  • Jennifer Heldmann, NASA ARC
  • Noah Petro, NASA GSFC
  • Kelsey Young, NASA GSFC

Consultants:

  • Amy Fagan, LEAG Chair
  • Carlé Pieters, SSERVI Distinguished Scientist
  • Juliane Gross, CAPTEM Lunar Sample Subcommittee Chair

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