Seeing into the Shadows
ShadowCam is based on the successful Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and is over 800× more sensitive than the current NAC, which will allow scientists to see into the permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) surrounding the Moon's poles.
Permanently Shadowed Regions
Permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) may be the most valuable real estate in the Solar System, with the potential for cold-trapped volatiles, which could provide essential resources to enable future exploration of the Moon and beyond.
NASA, ASU, and KARI
NASA selected ShadowCam as a contribution to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s (KARI) first lunar exploration mission, Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO). ShadowCam will address three of four Strategic Knowledge Gaps and join four other KARI-developed instruments onboard KPLO.