Mini lab built by UK scientists will fly to the moon to search for frozen water

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A miniature lab designed and built by UK scientists is heading to the moon on a mission to search for frozen water.

ProSPA, created by experts at the Open University (OU), will process samples gathered by Prospect, which could become the first European device to land on the Moon this decade.

The Prospect system, which also features a robotic drill that will collect samples up to a metre below the lunar surface, is being built by Italian aerospace company Leonardo.

The European Space Agency device is expected to head to the lunar South Pole sometime between 2027 and 2028.

As well as water ice, Prospect will also hunt for volatiles, chemical compounds that easily evaporate or vaporise under certain conditions.

The aim of the mission is to answer questions such as how much water is present on the moon and whether it will be accessible for future human moon missions.

Dr Simeon Barber, who leads the ProSPA project at the OU, said: “After more than a decade of developing the ProSPA concept and instrument, our team is super excited to be hitching a ride to the moon.

“We look forward to analysing fresh samples which might contain ancient reserves of water and other ices.

“We can’t wait to unravel the mysteries of this extreme environment, and discover its potential to support future exploration missions.”

Prospect will fly to the moon as part of Nasa’s commercial lunar payload, which also includes retroreflectors to locate landing sites on the moon and yeast to study how organic matter responds to radiation and gravity.

The robotic drill ProSEED, also built by Leonardo, will penetrate the subsurface where temperatures are less than minus 100C and where water ice may potentially be stable.

ProSPA will receive the samples from the drill via a carousel with multiple ovens, the scientists said.

It will seal and heat the lunar soil to extract the cold-trapped volatiles.

ProSPA will use its own instruments to identify the chemicals in the samples.

It will also test certain processes, such as whether extracting oxygen directly from lunar rocks and dust could be an efficient way to supply oxygen for human habitats or spacecraft propulsion, the Prospect team said.

Chris Howe, production and software group leader at RAL Space, said: “The technology behind ProSPA is the result of years of collaboration between RAL Space and the OU, and we’re delighted that this latest milestone is bringing the instrument one step closer to the moon.

“ProSPA will not only build on the legacy of previous projects… but the insights we gain from it will also support future missions advancing our understanding of the lunar surface.

“It’s a really exciting project to be part of.”