GOLDEN, Colo., Dec. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lunar Outpost, a leader in planetary mobility and in-space infrastructure, today announced that it was selected for development for NASA’s upcoming Artemis IV mission, in partnership with Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Central Florida, and the University of California Berkeley. Lunar Outpost’s MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform) rover will support NASA’s DUSTER investigation, which was selected through the Artemis IV Deployed Instruments program.
DUSTER comprises two LASP-built instruments: the Electrostatic Dust Analyzer (EDA) and the Relaxation SOunder and differentiaL VoltagE (RESOLVE). The University of Central Florida will interpret measurements of dust ejecta generated during the Human Landing System liftoff, while University of California Berkeley will analyze upstream plasma conditions.
The MAPP rover, carrying the DUSTER payload, is targeting launch with Artemis IV and supports a groundbreaking study of lunar dust and plasma at the Artemis IV landing site, near the Moon’s South Pole. MAPP will be deployed by astronauts, leveraging human-robotic interaction and aiding in critical dust testing. The DUSTER investigation will deepen understanding of how lunar dust behaves during landings, liftoffs, extravehicular activity, and in its natural, undisturbed environment. The findings of the study will offer insight into humanity's impact on the lunar surface and build the foundation for a sustainable presence in space.
The mission will also deepen NASA’s knowledge of lunar space weather, electrostatic dust, and micrometeoroid impacts. The MAPP rover will play a supporting role in characterizing the surface plasma and dust environment driven by various space weather conditions, ultimately increasing crew safety and reducing risks to future missions. Because the Moon has no global magnetic field and tenuous atmosphere, the lunar surface interacts directly with the space environment, including solar wind and ultraviolet radiation, as well as galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles. This charging environment may cause lunar dust to be lofted electrostatically, which is a more than five-decade old problem. This dust and plasma environment may pose significant obstacles to human and robotic exploration to the lunar surface.
“The Apollo missions showed us the challenges posed by dust on the lunar surface, and NASA’s Artemis plans to find solutions as a critical step to building a sustainable human presence in space,” said Justin Cyrus, Founder and CEO of Lunar Outpost. “This will be Lunar Outpost’s seventh contracted mission, demonstrating our ability to serve as a platform for multiple mission profiles, and provide mobility and robotics to help astronauts conduct research on the Moon.”
The DUSTER investigation will be Lunar Outpost’s seventh contracted mission, and the fifth time the MAPP rover will embark on the lunar surface. For more information, please visit https://www.lunaroutpost.com/missions.
About Lunar Outpost
Lunar Outpost is a leader in planetary mobility and in-space infrastructure, developing advanced robotic systems for extreme environments. From enabling the first commercial rover on the Moon to supporting NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle project, Lunar Outpost is leading the way toward sustainable lunar infrastructure and a cislunar economy. With multiple missions fully contracted, the company is helping shape the future of space as an extension of the global economy. For more information, visit lunaroutpost.com.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/467af396-2a01-4888-8274-6d3942404a1f
