NASA Needs a Refrigerator to Store Lunar Samples on the Artemis 5 Mission

Illustration of the landing of the Artemis 5 mission on the moon to search for samples (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA - The United States Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has made a request for information (RFI) on the official US government website regarding the manufacture of lunar freezers or refrigerators.

Quoted from Space, the space agency stated that they need a refrigerator for the Artemis 5 mission. Later, this refrigerator will be used to store materials taken from the moon by exploring astronauts.

In addition to storing materials, refrigerators are considered essential for transporting scientific and geological samples. NASA stated that the Artemis 5 team will collect all samples while on the moon for further research.

NASA explains that the refrigerator they need must be able to withstand the physical forces during launch. The inside of the refrigerator must measure at least 25 x 25 x 66 centimeters with a total weight of less than 55 kilograms.

This refrigerator must also be able to maintain samples at a temperature of minus 85 degrees Celsius for more than 30 days. In future designs, NASA wants the refrigerator to have an onboard display so the Artemis 5 team can continuously monitor and control it.

Finally, the refrigerator that humans will take to the moon must be able to record comprehensive temperature and health data on the samples. With all these plans, NASA wants the refrigerator for lunar samples to be ready by the end of 2027.

Even though this refrigerator is needed for the Artemis 5 mission, NASA will send astronauts to the moon again via the Artemis 3 mission in 2025. This mission will be the second time NASA astronauts have set foot on the moon.