LEMS - NASA Science

The Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS) is a candidate payload in development for Artemis astronauts to deploy on the lunar surface through our Artemis missions.

A small suitcase-size instrument suite, LEMS is designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of the seismic environment at the Moon, including surface motion caused by moonquakes and meteorite impacts in the lunar south polar region. The instrument will characterize the regional structure of the Moon’s crust and mantle, which will add valuable information to lunar formation and evolution models.

LEMS is intended to operate on the lunar surface day and night from three months up to two years.

Several people wearing white protective coveralls, hair coverings, face coverings, and blue gloves stand around a rectangular metal device on a worktable. Two people lean in close and handle the device while others watch. Computer monitors, equipment, and cabinets line the room in the background. — Integration of the LEMS instrument at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. A small suitcase-size instrument suite built at NASA Goddard, LEMS is designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of the seismic environment at the Moon, including surface motion caused by moonquakes and meteorite impacts in the lunar south polar region.
NASA Goddard

Large metallic worktable with a rectangular machine-like object mounted on a metal base. The object is wrapped in silver and copper-colored material with exposed frames, brackets, and panels. Numerous thin blue, white, and multicolored wires extend from the sides and lie across the table surface. Additional equipment, metal supports, and tables appear in the background. — LEMS during final preparation for vibration testing at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. During this test, the LEMS instrument was subjected to the vibration environment of launch to demonstrate that the station can be transported safely to the Moon. A small suitcase-size instrument suite built at NASA Goddard, LEMS is designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of the seismic environment at the Moon, including surface motion caused by moonquakes and meteorite impacts in the lunar south polar region.
NASA Goddard

Rectangular box-shaped device resting on a metal table. The front face is covered with a grid of many small black rectangular panels bordered in white. Metal components, brackets, and small box units are mounted along the top. The background shows a large windowed wall with a blurred American flag and an Artemis flag visible behind the device. — The fully-integrated LEMS (Lunar Environment Monitoring Station) ready for environmental testing. A small suitcase-size instrument suite built at NASA Goddard, LEMS is designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of the seismic environment at the Moon, including surface motion caused by moonquakes and meteorite impacts in the lunar south polar region.
NASA Goddard

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Under Artemis, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

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