Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS); version not stated by NASA¶
Peregrine Mission Three · manifested · NASA payload
Stereo cameras under the lander that image how the engine plume erodes the regolith as the lander descends. Stereo photogrammetry turns the images into 3D maps for plume-erosion models. NASA describes 'an array of four cameras'; Astrobotic, 'a camera system mounted beneath the spacecraft'. NASA flies SCALPSS on all four late-2028 landings to collect data from several engine sizes, propellants and sites. Peregrine Mission Two carries a SCALPSS on the same lander type to the same region; which of the two flies first is not stated.
PI: Wesley Chambers (NASA Marshall), per the team's January 2026 slides; project manager Robert Maddock (NASA Langley). NASA's June 2026 release names no PI for this unit.
Built by: NASA Langley Research Center (lead), with NASA Marshall (principal investigator), as for the other SCALPSS units. The Langley team's 2026 poster shows its camera-layout work on Voyager's Peregrine lander, using CAD models Voyager provided. (NASA center)
| Technology | landing-environment cameras (plume-surface interaction) |
| Moon Base need | DN-017 L, DN-018 L (The knowledge base's own matching, not NASA's: the June 2026 release names no data gap. It matches SCALPSS on the four late-2028 landings to DN-017 L and DN-018 L, which ask for plume data 'at different sites and under different plume conditions (i.e. lander types)'. Peregrine would be a lander type SCALPSS has not flown on, but Peregrine Mission Two brings it too. So this unit repeats that lander type in the same region rather than adding a new one: a second sample of one plume condition, not a new condition (the study's reading). Peregrine Mission One's lander had five Frontier Aerospace thrusters burning MMH and MON-25 (Wikipedia; Astrobotic's report names the propellants); whether Peregrine-3 keeps them is not stated. The site, near the Gruithuisen Domes, is on the near side, not at the South Pole. Both Peregrines and Blue Ghost Mission 3 (whose Heimdall cameras also study plume effects) head for the Gruithuisen Domes. So the region may see several landings near each other, the case NASA names for SCALPSS ('delivered to the Moon near each other'); how close the sites will be is not in public sources. A late-2028 landing falls in Phase 1 ('Now through 2028'), the study's reading.) |
| Route onto CLPS | STMD; No payload call for this flight. NASA's Moon Base Program named the same three 'flight-proven' NASA payloads (SCALPSS, LRA, LETS) for each of four late-2028 landings, awarded on 30 June 2026. Astrobotic won two of them, $297.9 million for both. Voyager, which bought Astrobotic, ties its 'approximately $298 million' award, NASA's figure for both Peregrine deliveries, to CS-8, but its July release names only Peregrine-2; its September page names both missions as two Moon Base task orders. That Peregrine Mission Three is a CS-8 order is the study's reading, from the matching amount. CS-8 is NASA's competitive procurement for Moon Base deliveries on 'landers with proven heritage'. SCALPSS is funded by STMD's Game Changing Development program, so the route is STMD, as for the other SCALPSS units.; 2026-06-30 |
| Timeline | first funding late 2018 (SCALPSS project formed at Langley; SMD NPLP from FY2019); first flight test 2024-02-15 (SCALPSS 1.0 on IM-1); selected 2026-06-30 (named in Astrobotic's award); launch 2028 (Astrobotic); no earlier than Q4 2028 (SCALPSS team poster); landing late 2028 (NASA, target) |
| On the Moon | not yet flown |
| FO | none |
Flights before the Moon¶
- earlier lunar mission: Intuitive Machines IM-1 (Nova-C 'Odysseus'), SCALPSS 1.0, 2024-02-15 (launch); landed 2024-02-22. Four cameras. They worked in transit and on the surface, but no plume data was collected, because of off-nominal lander events.
"The SCALPSS 1.0 payload successfully operated during lunar transit, and on the lunar surface, however, no science data was collected."
— TechPort project 116401, description"did it capture a clear view of the eroded landing site after touchdown due to off-nominal lander events"
— NTRS 20250010973, page 3
- earlier lunar mission: Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1, SCALPSS 1.1 (Mare Crisium), 2025-01-15 (launch); landed 2025-03-02. Six cameras on a Blue Ghost lander. It worked in transit, in lunar orbit, in descent and on the surface, took about 1,800 images in descent and landing, and met its full measurement objectives. This is the flight behind NASA's word 'flight-proven'. It was on a different lander and engine from Peregrine's.
"The SCALPSS 1.1 payload successfully operated during lunar transit, in lunar orbit, during lander descent, and on the lunar surface achieving its full measurement objectives."
— TechPort project 116401, description"During descent and landing on March 2, 2025, the payload acquired and transferred to the lander approximately 1800 images"
— NTRS 20250010973, page 1 (abstract)
Heritage hardware¶
- design heritage (SCALPSS 1.0 and 1.1; Mars 2020 EDLCam): Same team and method, and a repeatable process: camera placement optimized on the lander maker's CAD model, ground tests (thermal vacuum, vibration), delivery of cameras, laser optics and hardware to the lander maker, then calibration on the lander. The first SCALPSS used flight-qualified hardware from the Mars 2020 EDL cameras. Which hardware this unit uses is not stated (four cameras in NASA's text; a laser order names SCALPSS 2.0 for CS-8).
"Provide all cameras, laser optics, and hardware to the lander manufacturer for component integration."
— NTRS 20260007363, poster, workflow step 7"utilized heritage flight-qualified hardware from the Mars2020 Entry, Descent, and Landing Cameras (EDLCam)"
— NTRS 20250010973, page 2
- lander heritage (Peregrine): SCALPSS has not flown on a Peregrine: Peregrine Mission One's five NASA payloads were LETS, NIRVSS, NSS, PITMS and the LRA. NASA says each late-2028 lander is an updated version of a design that has flown, and Astrobotic says it applies lessons from Peregrine Mission One, which did not land. So SCALPSS will meet a lander whose descent and landing have not yet been flown, unless Peregrine Mission Two lands first.
"The five NASA payloads aboard Astrobotic’s Peregrine One lander include the following:"
— NASA Sending Five Payloads to Moon on Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lander - NASA"Each will use updated versions of already-flown lander designs to enable NASA’s increased mission cadence."
— NASA Awards More Moon Base Science, Previews New Opportunities - NASA"we look forward to applying those lessons to Peregrine-2 and Peregrine-3"
— Astrobotic Awarded 2 NASA Contracts for CLPS Moon Base Missions"the spacecraft experienced a propulsion issue preventing Peregrine from softly landing on the Moon"
— NASA Science, Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One Concludes - NASA
Funding before the lunar flight¶
- STMD Game Changing Development: the SCALPSS projects (TechPort 116401 for 1.x, from October 2020; TechPort 184628 'SCALPSS 2', May 2025 to June 2030). No amounts public, and no split by unit. (STMD GCD; from FY2021): amount not in public sources
"The SCALPSS 2.0 payload will utilize new electronics to improve data management and higher resolution cameras for improved science data."
— TechPort project 184628, description; start 2025-05-01, end 2030-06-30
- NASA purchase order to RPMC Lasers for Matchbox lasers 'for SCALPSS 2.0 flight projects on CS-8 payloads' (80NSSC26P1184, signed 3 Aug 2026). Linked by its description. If Peregrine Mission Three's order is part of CS-8 (the study's reading), this order covers lasers for its SCALPSS and the other CS-8 units; the split is not stated. It also suggests the CS-8 units are SCALPSS 2.0 with laser illumination, while NASA's release describes four cameras (see open questions). (NASA purchase order (NSSC); 2026): $124,920
"MATCHBOX LASERS FROM RPMC FOR SCALPSS 2.0 FLIGHT PROJECTS ON CS-8 PAYLOADS"
— USAspending.gov, award SCALPSS, 80NSSC26P1184; amount 124920.0; start 2026-08-03
- NASA purchase order to Holoor for custom diffractive optical elements (laser-grid optics) 'for the SCALPSS 2.0 flight payloads' (80NSSC26P1729, signed 25 Sep 2026), 'in support of Ignition/Moonbase'. Linked by its description. It covers several units; the split is not stated. (NASA purchase order (NSSC); 2026): $91,540
"CUSTOM DIFFRACTIVE OPTICAL ELEMENTS (DOES) FOR THE SCALPSS 2.0 FLIGHT PAYLOADS. THIS EFFORT IS IN SUPPORT OF IGNITION/MOONBASE"
— USAspending.gov, award SCALPSS, 80NSSC26P1729; amount 91540.0; start 2026-09-25
- NASA purchase order to Lore Technology for 'SCALPSS Basler cameras' (80NSSC26P1315, signed 17 Aug 2026, after the June awards). Linked to SCALPSS by its description only: it names no mission or unit, so its share for this lander is not known. Earlier SCALPSS parts orders of 2025-2026 (cameras, relays, FPGAs, a vacuum chamber) are listed under im5-scalpss and bgm4-scalpss. (NASA purchase order (NSSC); 2026): $266,904
"SCALPSS BASLER CAMERAS"
— USAspending.gov, award SCALPSS, 80NSSC26P1315; LORE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY; amount 266904.0; start 2026-08-17
- The base design: SMD's NASA-Provided Lunar Payloads paid for SCALPSS 1.0 from FY2019; STMD GCD paid for SCALPSS 1.1, which flew on Blue Ghost Mission 1. See im1-scalpss and bgm1-scalpss. (SMD NPLP; STMD GCD; from FY2019): amount not in public sources
"SCALPSS 1.0 was funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate through the NASA-Provided Lunar Payloads Program."
— Tiny NASA Cameras to Picture Interaction Between Lander, Moon’s Surface - NASA
How it got onto CLPS¶
"NASA announced Tuesday the selection of three companies to land four new missions on the Moon in late 2028"
— NASA Awards More Moon Base Science, Previews New Opportunities - NASA"Astrobotic is awarded $297.9 million total for two deliveries"
— NASA Awards More Moon Base Science, Previews New Opportunities - NASA"These three payloads are flight-proven and their data is critical to supporting safe human exploration of the lunar surface."
— NASA Awards More Moon Base Science, Previews New Opportunities - NASA"The lander will also carry Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS)"
— Astrobotic Awarded 2 NASA Contracts for CLPS Moon Base Missions, 30 Jun 2026"including the CS-8 competitive procurement under the existing Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) indefinite delivery/indefinite-quantity framework"
— Voyager Awarded $298M NASA Contract Under Completed Astrobotic Acquisition"The approximately $298 million task order"
— Voyager Awarded $298M NASA Contract Under Completed Astrobotic Acquisition"Under this NASA award, Voyager’s Peregrine-2 is scheduled to launch in 2028"
— Voyager Awarded $298M NASA Contract Under Completed Astrobotic Acquisition, 13 Jul 2026; names only Peregrine-2"In June 2026, NASA announced two additional Moon Base task orders that will send two Peregrine lunar landers to the Moon by the end of 2028."
— Meet Voyager’s Lunar Missions, section 'Peregrine-2 and -3'"soliciting the delivery of payloads aboard landers with proven heritage"
— Ignition - NASA, CS-8 Task Order"The SCALPSS project is funded by the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), Game Changing Development (GCD) Program."
— NTRS 20260007363, poster, Acknowledgements
On the Moon¶
Manifested on Peregrine Mission Three for late 2028, near the Gruithuisen Domes. The lander is to enter lunar orbit, then land autonomously. SCALPSS units are also manifested on Blue Moon Pathfinder Mission 1, Blue Ghost Mission 4, IM-5 and the other three late-2028 landings; some may fly first.
"each Peregrine will enter lunar orbit before performing an autonomous landing near the Gruithuisen Domes"
— Astrobotic Awarded 2 NASA Contracts for CLPS Moon Base Missions
FO's role¶
Grade: none. No FO flight of SCALPSS or its NASA team, as for every other SCALPSS unit; no FO project, report or page names SCALPSS. FO flew plume-surface work by other teams: Auburn University's reduced-gravity crater measurements (TechPort 106726, parabolic flights) and Zandef Deksit's ExoCam descent camera (TechPort 106700). No source ties them to SCALPSS, so that is the same topic only. Grade: none, as in the study's earlier traceback.
"No FO flight of SCALPSS or its Langley team."
— earlier finding of this study (not a public source)"Three-Dimensional Plume-Surface Interaction and Crater Formation Dynamic Measurements in Reduced Gravity Environments"
— TechPort project 106726, title (FO; lead Auburn University)"Deployment Test for ExoCam Module Lunar Lander Descent Imaging"
— TechPort project 106700, title (FO; lead Zandef Deksit)
Who built it¶
"Principal Investigators: Michelle Munk (retired) and Wesley Chambers"
— NTRS 20260000603, page 2 (SCALPSS payload overview, 27 Jan 2026)"Voyager, Peregrine Lander"
— NTRS 20260007363, poster, figure labels (Rienstra, Tyrrell and Danehy, NASA Langley, 2026)"for providing CAD models of the Nova C, Peregrine, and Blue Ghost lunar landers"
— NTRS 20260007363, poster, Acknowledgements
Moon Base need¶
"four landings on three companies' landers answer the gaps' call for"
— Moon to Mars knowledge base: Architecture data gaps: all 25, June 2026 landings table, SCALPSS row"surface at different sites and under different plume conditions (i.e. lander types). During"
— Moon to Mars knowledge base: DN-017 L: In situ measurement of particle velocity during lunar plume surface interaction (PSI) phenomena, description"Collecting data from a variety of engine sizes, propellants, and landing locations"
— NASA Awards More Moon Base Science, Previews New Opportunities - NASA"playing a vital role as bigger, heavier spacecraft and hardware are delivered to the Moon near each other"
— NASA Awards More Moon Base Science, Previews New Opportunities - NASA"will deliver three NASA-sponsored payloads on Peregrine to a landing site near the Gruithuisen Domes"
— Astrobotic Awarded 2 NASA Contracts for CLPS Moon Base Missions, 30 Jun 2026"Its propulsion system has five thrusters built by Frontier Aerospace"
— Wikipedia article "Peregrine Mission One", revision 1368288193 of 2026-08-08T04:52:48Z, revision 1368288193"flows from the pressurant tank to the fuel (MMH) tanks or oxidizer (MON-25)"
— Peregrine: Mission 1, August 2024 Post-Mission Report (Astrobotic), Peregrine Mission One"Firefly's Blue Ghost 3 lander will deliver six NASA CLPS science payloads to the Gruithuisen Domes."
— CLPS CP-21 Science - NASA Science"many mission scenarios will require multiple landings at the same site"
— hou.usra.edu: 5038.pdf, Heimdall team, 2025"Phase 1 "Now through 2028""
— Moon to Mars knowledge base: Moon Base phases
Open questions¶
- Which SCALPSS version flies on Peregrine Mission Three? NASA's release says four cameras; a NASA laser order names 'SCALPSS 2.0 flight projects on CS-8 payloads'. Is this order part of CS-8, and does its unit carry the laser grid?
- How many cameras, and where they mount on Peregrine: the team's 2026 poster shows a Peregrine layout but gives no count. Not in public sources.
- Does Peregrine-3 keep Peregrine Mission One's engines and propellants (five Frontier Aerospace thrusters, MMH and MON-25)? Not in public sources.
- Which of the two Peregrine missions launches first, and will results from the first change the second unit before delivery? Not in public sources.
- How close the Peregrine Mission Two and Three sites are to each other and to Blue Ghost Mission 3's site: not in public sources.
- What the four late-2028 SCALPSS units cost: not in public sources.
- Will Astrobotic fly its own plume-surface camera, PSICHIC (NASA SBIR Phase I, agency tracking number 232623, contract 80NSSC23PB350, $149,974, 2023), on a Peregrine next to SCALPSS? The award abstract aims it 'ultimately as a payload aboard lunar landers'; no source ties it to these missions.