Planetary Science research

SSAI scientists and engineers contribute to various sectors in the Planetary Sciences. Specifically, aside from SSAI’s involvement in the engineering aspects of the Artemis program, the company aids in scientific research in support of it, as well.

Most important is the investigation of the presence of water on the Moon. Contrary to the previous understanding of the Moon we formed some decades ago, recent missions have revealed that water is quite abundant there in its frozen form.

There are vast bodies of primeval ice that are trapped in craters near the Moon’s South Pole, but there is also mineralization ice trapped in the crystalline structure of various minerals. This water undergoes a complex cycle of sublimation and recrystallization driven by the extreme thermal variations occurring on the Moon’s surface. SSAI is deeply interested in the study and analysis of these aspects.

Another focal point of SSAI’s involvement in planetary sciences is the Martian atmosphere. Specifically, there is interest in Mars model intercomparison and on Mars Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) for Mars. A Mars OSSE framework would allow an informed design of an optimal observing system network for Mars to enable, in the future, real-time weather forecast capabilities on Mars.