← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed TRL 8 (started at 5, targeting 8)
Lunar Flashlight (LF) is a 6u class CubeSat that will use near infrared lasers to shine light into permanently shadowed craters at the lunar south pole while the on-board spectrometer measures surface reflection and composition to map water ice deposits and volatiles. The spacecraft is currently planned to launch with the Artemis-1 mission. The CubeSat uses an optical receiver aligned with four lasers that sequentially pulse the lunar landscape to look for water ice and other volatiles associated with lunar cold traps.
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/What_is_Lunar_Flashlight
This demonstration will increase science knowledge of water resources at the lunar south pole.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is a mature technology (TRL 8) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.