NASA's SCALPSS (Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies) technology is set to be deployed on Firefly's Blue Ghost lander as part of the agency's Artemis campaign, which aims to establish a long-term presence on the Moon.

This deployment is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which includes over 200 pounds of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations.

SCALPSS 1.1 will study the interaction between the lunar lander's rocket plume and the lunar surface, marking its second deployment in less than a year.

The upgraded SCALPSS 1.1 system features six cameras, an increase from the four cameras used in the previous version, allowing it to capture images from a higher altitude for improved data accuracy.

The data collected will provide insights into how lunar soil (regolith) is disturbed during landings, particularly as more missions operate in close proximity to each other.

Michelle Munk, the principal investigator for SCALPSS, highlighted the importance of understanding plume-surface interactions to protect future lunar assets, such as habitats and landers.

Rob Maddock, project manager for SCALPSS, noted that while erosion from previous Apollo landings was minimal, future missions with larger engines may cause more significant surface changes.

Expected erosion from lander-induced activities is anticipated to be minimal, likely only a few centimeters deep, according to Maddock.

The final images and data from SCALPSS 1.1 will be processed over a couple of months to create digital elevation maps of the lunar surface.

Developed at NASA's Langley Research Center, SCALPSS utilizes a camera array to capture imagery during descent and landing, employing stereo photogrammetry to create 3D representations of the lunar surface.

An earlier version of SCALPSS, used on the Odysseus spacecraft, faced mission contingencies that prevented it from collecting plume-surface interaction data during descent but successfully operated post-landing.

The SCALPSS 1.1 project is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate's Game Changing Development Program, which supports innovative aerospace technologies.