NASA is sending a vehicle to the moon to explore one of the most distinctive and enigmatic natural features on the moon.
The agency has awarded a new contract to send the Nova-C lander to the Moon, which is scheduled for 2024.
The lander will be attempting to land in the Reiner Gamma, a mysterious lunar swirl, in order to greatly expand our understanding of Earth's natural satellite in the process.
There are lunar swirls.
There is still a lot we don't know about these swirls, including how they form or how they might be related to the Moon's magnetic field.
Scientists thought the swirls were craters until 1966. Scientists were scratching their heads after NASA's lunar oogle II spacecraft determined that they weren't. Scientists discovered in 1972 that the swirls were magnetized, with one swirl on one side causing other swirls to form on the opposite side of the Moon.
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said in a statement that the delivery to the Moon will help the US expand its capabilities and learn more about the region. Observing lunar swirls can give us information about the Moon's radiation environment and how to mitigate it.
NASA wants to establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface by understanding levels of radiation.
Equipment to measure the Moon's magnetic field will be included in the 200 pounds of cargo that will be sent to Reiner Gamma. A swarm of smaller robots will be used to create a 3D map of its surroundings.
The swirls are a mystery. Studying them could give us important clues about the Moon's magnetic field, and how we could protect ourselves from the fierce solar winds battering its surface once we get back there.
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