A team of scientists led by physicist Jun Ye, an expert on lasers and precision measurements, is exploring how dark craters at the lunar poles could serve as sites for ultrastable lasers. These instruments would aid astronauts in surface and near-lunar navigation, a critical capability for future missions.
The proposed system would leverage the permanently shadowed regions of polar craters, which offer stable thermal environments ideal for precision laser operation. Such lasers could provide continuous, highly accurate positioning data for rovers, landers, and crewed expeditions, reducing reliance on Earth-based tracking.
The team discussed these instruments in the context of what Artemis astronauts could install and use during their time on the Moon. No specific deployment timeline or mission has been announced, but the concept aligns with NASA's broader push for sustainable lunar infrastructure.
If realized, this approach could dramatically improve navigational autonomy for surface operations, enabling safer exploration of challenging terrain. It also represents a novel application of precision measurement technology, blending fundamental physics with practical exploration needs.
However, deploying and maintaining such lasers in the harsh lunar environment presents significant engineering challenges. The extreme cold, abrasive dust, and limited power availability in permanently shadowed craters may complicate implementation, and no prototype has been tested on the Moon to date.