NASA to send 'vacuum cleaner' into space to collect Moon soil

Lunar Planet Vac, or LPV, is one of 10 payloads set to be carried to the Moon by the Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander in 2025. (Image: NASA)

NASA is revolutionising lunar exploration with a game-changing tool. The Lunar PlanetVac (LPV) is set to simplify soil collection during Artemis Moon missions. This innovative vacuum technology will enable faster, efficient sample analysis for future planetary explorations.

The Lunar PlanetVac is a compressed gas-powered collection system. Developed by Honeybee Robotics, it mimics a vacuum cleaner. This tool will gather lunar soil without digging or using a mechanical arm. Pressurised gas stirs up the regolith, creating a tornado-like effect. Lunar particles are then funnelled into a sample container.

Mounted on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lander, the LPV will perform autonomously. The entire process, including sieving and photographing, happens in seconds. Real-time data will be sent to Earth for analysis. Dennis Harris, from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, emphasised its impact on lunar resource mapping.

The LPV will be tested under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The CLPS model promotes commercial Moon deliveries for sustainable exploration. Seven of the ten CLPS payloads aboard the Blue Ghost lander are managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

NASA hopes tools like the LPV will simplify lunar habitation and exploration. By mapping resources like water and helium, this innovation could support building launch pads and habitats on the Moon.