Blue Ghost Mission: Payload Begins Drilling Surface of the Moon to Measure Heat Flow

Science: Firefly, providing regular mission updates, has shared exciting developments for lunar exploration. NASA's Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER) payload, developed by Texas Tech University and Honeybee Robotics, has begun drilling into the Moon's surface to measure the heat flow from its interior.

Blue Ghost LISTER Drilling Operations  

Firefly has released a video showing this significant milestone was achieved shortly after the Blue Ghost lunar lander successfully touched down on the lunar surface.

Objective of LISTER  
Mounted below Blue Ghost’s lower deck, the LISTER payload is a sophisticated pneumatic, gas-powered drill designed to penetrate the moon's surface and measure the temperature and flow of heat from the Moon’s interior. The primary objective of LISTER is to provide valuable data on the thermal properties of the lunar subsurface, which will enhance our understanding of the Moon's geological history and thermal evolution.

Blue Ghost Mission Live 
Blue Ghost has been performing ongoing LISTER operations, with the first drilling operation taking place on March 3. The LISTER payload is capable of drilling to a depth of three meters. This probe will measures two key aspects of heat flow:  

• Thermal gradient (changes in temperature at various depths).
• Thermal conductivity (the subsurface material’s ability to let heat pass through it).

Planned Power Cycling 

The Moon is heating up as rover approach further on moon's surface. The hottest part of the lunar day can get up 250°F (121°C). In preparation, Blue Ghost has begun planned power cycling to keep the lander as cool as possible. With eight payloads’ objectives already complete, they aim to continue operating our two remaining payloads throughout these power cycles. 

ALSO READ: Scientists Discover Mysterious Fourth Form of Water 'Plastic Ice VII' That Could Exist on Alien Worlds

The data collected by LISTER will provide critical insights into the Moon's thermal evolution and the geological processes that have shaped it over billions of years.

Road Ahead
The successful demonstration of LISTER's drilling capabilities could pave the way for more advanced drilling technologies in future lunar and planetary missions. Understanding the thermal properties of the Moon's interior is essential for planning long-duration missions and establishing a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.