NASA Selects Scientists for Artemis Lunar South Pole Exploration

The team will help shape science plans for astronauts on the Moon's surface.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:42am

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A bold, geometric abstract painting in earthy tones, with sweeping arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals, representing the complex scientific forces and concepts behind the Artemis lunar exploration program.An abstract visualization of the scientific forces and concepts guiding NASA's Artemis lunar exploration program as it prepares to send astronauts to the Moon's South Pole region.Boulder Today

NASA has selected 10 participating scientists to help shape a science plan for astronauts to complete on the lunar surface under the Artemis program, including deploying scientific instruments, making critical observations of the landing site, and collecting Moon rocks.

Why it matters

The scientific research during the first crewed Artemis lunar landing mission will provide critical data to support further exploration while digging deeper into questions that have intrigued scientists since the Apollo era, such as the impact history of the Moon or the locations of shallow ice deposits.

The details

The selected scientists will join the first Artemis lunar surface science team, led by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA Headquarters. They will support the inaugural Artemis geology team and work on pre-mission planning, science mission operations, and post-mission reports. During the mission, astronauts will land near the Moon's South Pole, a landscape of extremes with dark craters that may contain ice and mountain peaks in near-constant illumination.

  • The scientists were selected in March 2026.
  • The first crewed Artemis lunar landing mission is planned for late 2025.

The players

NASA

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal agency responsible for the civilian space program, the aeronautics and space research, and the development of new technologies related to aviation and spaceflight.

Artemis Program

NASA's program to return humans to the Moon, with the goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon by the end of the 2020s.

Kristen Bennett

A participating scientist from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.

Noah Petro

The project scientist for the first Artemis lunar surface science team, based at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Brett Denevi

The lead of the Artemis geology team, from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

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What they’re saying

“Congratulations to the scientists selected to participate in this important Artemis lunar surface science team. The selected scientists will bring a wealth of expertise to this team to ensure we are supporting crews on the Moon to achieve the missions' science objectives.”

— Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters

“Artemis is enabling the kind of scientific work that will reshape our understanding of the Moon and open the door to discoveries we've only imagined. The work these scientists will contribute before, during, and after the mission will help us make the most of every step astronauts take on the lunar surface and ensure we're learning as much as possible from this new era of human exploration.”

— Lakiesha Hawkins, Acting Deputy Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters

What’s next

The selected scientists will begin their work on pre-mission planning and science operations for the first crewed Artemis lunar landing, scheduled for late 2025.

The takeaway

The Artemis program's return to the lunar surface will enable a new era of scientific discovery, as the selected team of experts helps shape the mission's objectives and ensure the astronauts make the most of their time on the Moon's South Pole region, a landscape that has intrigued scientists for decades.