NASA is currently seeking to acquire a 'lunar freezer' to support its forthcoming Artemis moon missions.

A mobile storage system will be required by the astronauts of the Artemis moon mission to safely preserve the samples they gather from the lunar surface. NASA has recently issued a solicitation for designs of a "lunar freezer" that can effectively store the materials obtained during the planned Artemis missions on the moon. As per the information provided in the request for information (RFI) on the federal contracting website SAM.gov, the primary purpose of this freezer will be to facilitate the transportation of scientific and geological samples from the moon to Earth. It is explicitly mentioned in the post that these samples will be exclusively those collected during the Artemis program. However, the post also suggests that the lunar freezer may potentially be utilized for the storage and transportation of "human biological/physiological samples collected during the missions," presumably to analyze the impact of space travel to the moon on astronauts.

In order to facilitate the return journey from the moon's surface to Earth, it is imperative that the lunar freezer be transportable via the various modes of transportation that will be utilized by future Artemis astronauts. These modes include the lunar rover, any moon habitats, the Human Landing System (HLS), the Orion crew module, and the Gateway lunar outpost - a planned space station that will remain in orbit around the moon.

 

It is essential that the lunar freezer be designed to withstand the various physical forces that it will encounter during launch and landing, such as vibrations and shocks. The cold interior of the freezer must have a total volume of no less than 10x10x26 inches (25x25x66 centimeters), and the entire system should weigh less than 121 pounds (55 kilograms). Additionally, stored samples must be able to maintain a temperature of minus 121 Fahrenheit (minus 85 Celsius) for a minimum of 30 days.

The upcoming Artemis 4 and Artemis 5 lunar missions are set to include European astronauts, as revealed in an exclusive interview. Notably, the Artemis 2 moon rocket has now been equipped with all four powerful engines, as depicted in a photograph. NASA emphasizes that the Artemis moon program will prioritize ethics and the betterment of society.

 

In terms of technical specifications, the envisioned lunar freezer must possess an onboard display that allows Artemis crews to monitor and control the module. Additionally, it should have both wireless and wired internet connectivity to facilitate telemetry transmission to Artemis vehicles and ground stations on Earth. Furthermore, the lunar freezer should be capable of recording data pertaining to its temperature, overall health, and instances of door opening.

The lunar freezer is scheduled to make its debut during the Artemis 5 mission, which will be the third mission in the Artemis program. This mission aims to land human astronauts on the moon, although this will not be the first instance within the program. The first human return to the moon since 1972 is planned for Artemis 3 in 2025. Subsequently, Artemis 4 and Artemis 5 are projected to launch in 2028 and 2029, respectively.