NASA selects University of Tokyo-led instrument for Artemis lunar project

NASA has chosen an instrument developed by an international team, including the University of Tokyo, for astronauts to deploy on the surface of the moon on an Artemis mission.

NASA announced on Tuesday its selection of instruments to be used in the Artemis lunar exploration project. The US-led international project aims to put astronauts back on the moon in 2026 for the first time in about half a century since the Apollo program.

The instrument will gather essential information about the structure of the moon's subsurface and help search for lunar volatiles, especially ice. Members of these payload teams will become members of NASA’s Artemis III science team.