NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are collaborating on the Lunar Surface Electromagnetic Experiment-Night (LuSEE-Night), a mission aimed at studying the universe's early moments by observing the 'Dark Ages,' a period before the formation of stars and galaxies. The mission is scheduled for launch in 2026 aboard Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost 2 lunar lander.
LuSEE-Night will land on the lunar far side, a location shielded from Earth's radio interference, providing an ideal environment for low-frequency radio astronomy. The telescope will measure the redshifted 21 cm transition of neutral hydrogen, offering insights into the universe's infancy. The mission also aims to validate the feasibility of low-frequency radio astronomy on the Moon, paving the way for future advanced instruments.
Operating in the extreme lunar environment, LuSEE-Night will face challenges such as temperature fluctuations ranging from approximately -298 degrees Fahrenheit to 260 degrees Fahrenheit. The mission's success could lead to the development of larger radio arrays, further expanding our capacity to study the universe's genesis.