NASA Moon Seismometers Map Safe Base Sites
Buried seismometers would record moonquakes ahead of Artemis IV, a mission whose date is not yet specified.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Space
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NASA plans to deploy the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station, or LEMS, on the moon's surface, where astronauts would bury two seismometers that transmit ground-movement data directly to Earth. The instrument is currently stored, so this is a planned deployment rather than a completed one.
Why it matters
Researchers need a better picture of the moon's environment before astronauts can build a base and live on the surface. Data from LEMS could help NASA identify the safest locations for a future lunar base as part of the Artemis program's goal of a long-term human presence.
LEMS includes two seismometers designed to measure ground movement, including moonquakes, and send that data straight to Earth. The source reports no measured performance figures or comparisons for the instrument, and its operation on the lunar surface has not yet been tested.
The players
NASA
The U.S. space agency leading the Artemis program, which aims to establish a long-term human presence on the moon.
Mehdi Benna
A planetary scientist with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and NASA who leads the LEMS project.
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
The UMBC institution, a LEMS collaborator, where lead scientist Mehdi Benna works.
University of Arizona
A LEMS collaborator contributing to the instrument's development alongside NASA and UMBC.
Morehead State University
A LEMS collaborator contributing to the instrument's development alongside NASA and UMBC.
The details
The LEMS instrument, built in Prince George's County, Maryland, will have two seismometers, which are sensors that detect ground vibrations, removed from its side. Astronauts would bury those seismometers beneath the lunar surface so they can record ground movements, including moonquakes, and transmit the data directly back to Earth. Because the moon has seismic activity but no flooding or liquid, the readings are expected to reveal how the ground behaves, which informs site selection.
Timeline
Wednesday (prior to publication): Mehdi Benna showed a model of LEMS to WJZ at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Artemis IV mission (date unspecified): Humans are expected to return to the moon's South Pole, with NASA hoping LEMS is ready.
The Tech Race
LEMS is positioned as groundwork for the Artemis program, which seeks to return humans to the moon and establish a long-term presence there. The source does not describe competing lunar seismic efforts, so the wider race is not characterized here.
The LEMS data is intended to guide where astronauts build and live on the moon, rather than affecting people on Earth directly. Its timing depends on the Artemis IV mission, whose date has not been specified.
The takeaway
Watch for confirmation of the Artemis IV launch date and whether LEMS is officially cleared for that mission. Those milestones will show whether the seismic data arrives before crews begin choosing a lunar base site.
Further reading
Explore more Space coverage to see how NASA's lunar plans are advancing.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CBS News.
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