{"id":186480,"date":"2025-03-15T03:19:50","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T17:19:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=834618"},"modified":"2025-03-15T03:19:50","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T17:19:50","slug":"meet-the-johnson-clps-team-supporting-nasas-lunar-exploration-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=186480","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Johnson CLPS Team Supporting NASA\u2019s Lunar Exploration Goals"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of NASA\u2019s Artemis campaign, the Commercial Lunar Payload Services<\/a> (CLPS) initiative, managed out of Johnson Space Center in Houston, is paving the way for conducting lunar science for the benefit of humanity.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Through CLPS, NASA teams worked closely with commercial companies to develop a new model for space exploration, enabling a sustainable return to the Moon. These commercial missions deliver NASA science and technology to the lunar surface, providing insights into the environment and demonstrating new technologies that will support future astronauts\u2014on the Moon and, eventually, on Mars.<\/p>\n

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\"Earth<\/a><\/figure>
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Carrying a suite of NASA science and technology, Firefly Aerospace\u2019s Blue Ghost Mission 1 successfully landed at 3:34 a.m. EST on Sunday, March 2, 2025, near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, a more than 300-mile-wide basin located in the northeast quadrant of the Moon\u2019s near side.<\/div>\n
Firefly Aerospace<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Intuitive<\/a><\/figure>
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Intuitive Machines\u2019 IM-2 captured an image March 6, 2025, after landing in a crater from the Moon\u2019s South Pole. The lunar lander is on its side about 820 feet from the intended landing site, Mons Mouton. In the center of the image between the two lander legs is the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1 suite, which shows the drill deployed.<\/div>\n
Credit: Intuitive Machines<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

2025: A Year of Lunar Firsts<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This year has already seen historic milestones. Firefly Aerospace\u2019s Blue Ghost Mission 1 successfully delivered 10 science and technology instruments to the Moon on March 2, 2025. It touched down near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, a basin over 300 miles wide in the northeast quadrant of the Moon\u2019s near side. Intuitive Machines\u2019 IM-2 Mission, landed near the Moon\u2019s South Pole on March 6, marking the southernmost lunar landing ever achieved.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The lunar deliveries for NASA have collected valuable insights and data to inform the next giant leap in humanity\u2019s return to the Moon, helping scientists address challenges like lunar dust mitigation, resource utilization, and radiation tolerance.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Meet the Johnson employees contributing to lunar innovations that are helping to shape the future of human presence on the Moon.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Mark Dillard: Pioneering Payload Integration<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/figure>
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Official NASA portrait of CLPS Payload Integration Manager Mark Dillard. <\/div>\n
NASA\/James Blair<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Mark Dillard, Blue Ghost Mission 1 payload integration manager, has been at the forefront of space exploration for more than 40 years, including 28 years with the International Space Station Program. Beyond ensuring all NASA payloads are integrated onto the lunar landers, he oversees schedules, costs, and technical oversight while fostering strong partnerships with CLPS vendors and NASA science teams.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe NASA is about to enter its next Golden Age,\u201d said Dillard. \u201cThe enthusiasm of Firefly\u2019s engineering team is contagious, and it has been a privilege to witness their success.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Dillard\u2019s career includes five years as NASA\u2019s resident manager in Torino, Italy, where he oversaw the development of International Space Station modules, including three logistics modules, the European Space Agency\u2019s Columbus module, and two space station nodes.<\/p>\n

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\"a<\/a><\/figure>
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Mark Dillard in the clean room with Firefly Aerospace\u2019s Blue Ghost Mission 1 lander behind him. <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cLike Apollo, Shuttle, and the International Space Station Programs, Artemis will add the next building block for space exploration,\u201d said Dillard. \u201cThe CLPS initiative is a significant building block, aiming to establish reliable and long-term access to the lunar surface.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Susan Lederer: Guiding Science in Real Time<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"A<\/a><\/figure>
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Official portrait of CLPS Project Scientist Susan Lederer.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Bill Stafford<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Susan Lederer, IM-2 project scientist, has spent years ensuring all the NASA instruments are fully prepared for lunar operations. She oversees real-time science operations from IM\u2019s Nova Control Center, working to maximize the mission\u2019s scientific return and prepare for the next generation of astronauts to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have done our best with remote data, but the only way to truly understand the Moon\u2014how to drill for resources, how to live on another celestial body\u2014is to go there and do the experiments,\u201d she said. \u201cNow, we get to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Lederer\u2019s path to CLPS was shaped by a background in space exploration, astrophysics, and planetary science. She has contributed to multiple spacecraft missions, including NASA\u2019s Deep Impact mission, which sent a projectile into Comet Tempel 1, and a separate mission that retrieved a sample from asteroid Itokawa.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

On Ascension Island, a remote joint U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force base, she co-led the construction of a 20,000-pound optical telescope to study space debris. Her work spans collaborations with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a tenure as a physics professor, and the design of impact experiments at NASA\u2019s Experimental Impact Lab, where she used a vertical gun firing projectiles at speeds exceeding those of sniper rifles to study asteroid and comet collisions.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Lederer has logged hundreds of hours conducting observing runs at professional observatories worldwide, where she refined both her scientific precision and her ability to repair instruments while working alone on remote mountaintops.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

As a private pilot and SciComm (the science equivalent of Capsule Communicator) for NASA\u2019s Desert Research and Technology Studies, she honed her mission communication skills. She was also part of an international team that discovered two extrasolar planetary systems\u2014one with a single Earth-sized planet and another with seven\u2014orbiting ultracool red dwarf stars.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Her expertise has uniquely prepared her to oversee real-time science operations for lunar missions in high-intensity environments.<\/p>\n

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\"Four<\/a><\/figure>
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NASA and Intuitive Machines IM-1 lunar lander mission status press briefing. From left to right: Steve Altemus, Intuitive Machines\u2019 chief executive officer and co-founder; Dr. Joel Kearns, NASA\u2019s deputy associate administrator, Exploration, Science Mission Directorate; Dr. Tim Crain, Intuitive Machines\u2019 chief technology officer and co-founder; and CLPS Project Scientist Susan Lederer. <\/div>\n
NASA\/Robert Markowitz<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Lederer emphasizes the importance of both scientific discovery and the practical realities of living and working on another world\u2014a challenge NASA is tackling for the first time in history.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s when things don\u2019t go as planned that you learn the most,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the surprises that we get to solve together as a team. That\u2019s our greatest strength\u2014the knowledge and teamwork that make this all happen.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Lederer credits the success of CLPS lunar deliveries to the dedication of teams working on payloads like Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 and Lunar Retroreflector Array, as well as peers within NASA\u2019s Science Mission Directorate, Space Technology Mission Directorate, and Intuitive Machines.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we do every day in CLPS creates a new world for exploration that is efficient in schedule, cost, and gaining science and technology knowledge in these areas like we\u2019ve never done before,\u201d said Lederer. \u201cIt feels very much like being a trailblazer for inspiring future generations of explorers \u2013 at least that\u2019s my hope, to keep the next generation inspired and engaged in the wonders of our universe.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As part of NASA\u2019s Artemis campaign, the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, managed out of Johnson Space Center in Houston, is paving the way for conducting lunar science for the benefit of humanity. Through CLPS, NASA teams worked closely with commercial companies to develop a new model for space exploration, enabling a sustainable return [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15595,15594,15634,15653],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-186480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artemis","category-commercial-lunar-payload-services-clps","category-johnson-space-center","category-missions"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=186480"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":186504,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186480\/revisions\/186504"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=186480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=186480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=186480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}