NASA-funded Slingshot concept aims to map minerals on the Moon, asteroids and Martian moons

NASA has awarded funding to an early‑stage research concept that seeks to demonstrate innovative techniques for mineral mapping on the Moon, asteroids and the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos. The initiative, part of the agency’s effort to advance in‑situ resource identification, will develop and test new remote‑sensing methods that could provide higher‑resolution compositional data than current instruments.

If successful, the technology could enable more precise selection of landing sites, support the extraction of water and other volatiles, and reduce mission risk for future exploration and commercial activities. The project is slated for a multi‑year development phase, after which the results will be evaluated for potential integration into upcoming NASA missions targeting lunar and small‑body science.