23-SSW23-0109, investigating the origins and timing of shallow moonquakes
Active Grant For Research Awarded Last action
- Contract number
- 80NSSC25K7115
- Awardee
-
Planetary Science Institute UEI Q7KKMKT2ANN7
- Awarding agency
-
Shared Services Center
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Obligated
- $510,280
Award facts
- Contract value 78% obligated
- $651,075.00 Current and potential, with all options
- Completion date 69% complete
- Current and potential, with all options
- Contracting staff
- NAICS code
- Not on record
- PSC
- AJ11 General Science And Technology R&D Services; General Science And Technology; Basic Research
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
- Competition
- Full and Open Competition Basic Research
- Pricing
- Other
- Place of performance
- Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
Award details come from SAM.gov/FPDS.
Transactions
| Action | Obligated | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Funding Only Action | $237,392 | |
| Original award | $272,888 |
About this award
The Planetary Science Institute, a Tucson, Arizona-based non-profit research organization, received a $651,075 research grant from NASA's Shared Services Center on October 7, 2024, to investigate the origins and timing of shallow moonquakes in the lunar crust. The three-year effort, which extends through October 6, 2027, addresses a critical gap in understanding where shallow moonquakes occur and whether they are triggered by tidal stresses. The Apollo Lunar Seismometer Network detected over 13,000 seismic events between 1969 and 1977, with 28 shallow moonquakes accounting for the majority of the Moon's seismic moment release. Current seismological estimates place event depths ranging from 200 kilometers to the lunar surface, and preliminary data suggest correlations between shallow moonquake timing and the Moon's orbital position, though the physical mechanisms remain unclear.
The research program combines experimental and numerical modeling components to address identified knowledge gaps relevant to NASA's Solar System Workings program. The experimental work will determine the frictional properties of lunar crustal rocks under in-situ conditions, providing critical constraints on temperatures and depths where seismic events can nucleate. Numerical modeling will investigate whether and why correlations exist between shallow moonquakes and tidal stresses, which is scientifically significant for understanding lunar tectonics. This investigation is particularly timely given NASA's plans for increased human presence on the Moon, as personnel and structures will potentially experience these seismic events, making quantitative investigation of fault motion in the lunar crust essential for hazard mitigation planning.
Quick answers
Who was awarded contract 80NSSC25K7115?
80NSSC25K7115 was awarded to Planetary Science Institute by Shared Services Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) on October 7, 2024.
How much is contract 80NSSC25K7115 worth?
The government has obligated $510,280 on 80NSSC25K7115. Its current value, with exercised options, is $651,075.
Was contract 80NSSC25K7115 competed?
The extent of competition for 80NSSC25K7115 was full and open competition.
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