NASA funds laser‑driven drone to probe lunar caves

NASA has awarded $175,000 to Stone Aerospace under its Innovative Advanced Concepts program to develop a laser‑powered drone, known as the LUX system, for exploring subsurface cavities on the Moon. The drone will be tethered to a surface vehicle by a single hair‑thin fiber optic cable that simultaneously transmits power, high‑speed data and provides thrust for a cold‑gas propulsion system.

The mission will target a large pit in Mare Tranquillitatis, about 400 km from the Apollo 11 landing site, whose opening is roughly the size of two football fields and descends about 133 m into permanent darkness. Using onboard LiDAR and SLAM algorithms, the drone will map the interior in real time, assessing whether the lava‑tube caves could serve as natural shelters for future lunar habitats. The technology is also intended for use on Earth and future Mars missions, offering continuous optical power delivery to mobile platforms.

NASA’s broader goal is to enable long‑term human presence on the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars, and the LUX project represents a key step toward exploring and potentially utilizing the Moon’s hidden underground environment.