NASA Moonfall Mission to Deploy Four Drones to Lunar South Pole by 2028 (xataka.com)

• Four NASA drones to survey lunar south pole in 2028.
• Payload includes cameras, neutron spectrometer, retroreflectors.
• Water ice in shadowed craters key for base location.
• Firefly Aerospace provides Elytra carrier; autonomous landing.

"NASA's Moonfall mission, scheduled for 2028, will send four robotic drones to the lunar south pole to survey safe landing sites for Artemis astronauts. Each 250 kg drone carries terrain-mapping cameras, a neutron spectrometer for subsurface water detection, a radiation spectrometer, and laser retroreflectors. The south pole is prioritized due to water ice in permanently shadowed craters, essential for a future base. Firefly Aerospace builds the Elytra carrier. The mission supports the Artemis program, which faces competition from China's lunar ambitions."