NASA is preparing to deploy an innovative X-ray imager to the Moon as part of its Artemis campaign. The instrument, known as the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI), will produce the first-ever global images of Earth’s magnetic field, a vital shield that protects the planet from harmful solar radiation.
Visualization showing the LEXI instrument onboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1, which will deliver 10 Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) payloads to the Moon. Credit: Firefly Aerospace
LEXI is one of ten scientific payloads set to journey aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Lander, a part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than mid-January, this mission underscores NASA’s commitment to understanding the impact of space weather, driven by the Sun, on Earth.
After landing on the Moon, LEXI will come to life, warm up, and turn its gaze back toward Earth. Over six days, the instrument will capture detailed X-ray images of the magnetosphere’s boundary, known as the magnetopause, revealing how it interacts with solar wind and cosmic forces. This critical data will help scientists understand the dynamics of Earth's space environment and the effects of solar particles, which can create auroras but also damage satellites and disrupt power grids.
“We’re trying to get this big picture of Earth’s space environment,” said Brian Walsh, principal investigator for LEXI and a space physicist at Boston University. “A lot of physics can be esoteric or difficult to follow without years of specific training, but this will be science that you can see.”
Capturing the Magnetosphere in Action
LEXI will observe low-energy X-rays formed when solar wind particles collide with Earth’s magnetic field at the magnetopause. While previous satellites have captured patchy images of this phenomenon, LEXI’s lunar vantage point will offer an unprecedented comprehensive view of the magnetosphere. Scientists on Earth will track the boundary’s movements in response to solar wind, watching it "breathe" as it expands and contracts.
“We expect to see the magnetosphere breathing out and breathing in, for the first time,” explained Hyunju Connor, astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA’s lead for LEXI. “When the solar wind is very strong, the magnetosphere will shrink and push backward toward Earth, and then expand when the solar wind weakens.”
The instrument is also designed to study magnetic reconnection, a process where magnetic field lines merge, releasing energetic particles. This phenomenon not only fuels auroras but also raises questions about its behavior, such as whether it occurs in bursts or at multiple sites simultaneously.
From Display Case to Lunar Surface
LEXI’s journey to the Moon marks a remarkable revival. Originally developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center as an X-ray detection technology test called STORM, the instrument was launched on a sounding rocket in 2012. After collecting data, it was retired and placed on display at Goddard. A decade later, Brian Walsh and his team refurbished the instrument for its lunar mission, replacing components and preparing it to deliver groundbreaking science from the Moon.
“We’d break the glass—not literally—but remove it, restore it, and refurbish it,” said Walsh. “This global picture that we’ve never had before will offer rich science.”
Supporting Lunar Exploration
Under NASA's CLPS program, LEXI represents a key step in fostering commercial spaceflight to support long-term lunar exploration. NASA aims to become one of many customers for these commercial lunar delivery services. The agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is managing the development of seven of the ten payloads aboard the Blue Ghost lander, including LEXI.
Add comment
Comments