The Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) Payload Operations Summary from the IM-2 Mission

The Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) payload was designed to aid in NASA’s Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technology development program. It was proposed for resource reconnaissance, identifying and quantifying volatiles up to 1 m below the surface in the lunar south pole region, which would provide vital data for future ISRU missions. PRIME-1 consisted of two instruments: The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT), a rotary percussive drill, and the Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo), a modified commercial-off-the-shelf mass spectrometer. The intent was to drill into the lunar subsurface incrementally, retrieving and depositing regolith in a pile on the surface, with MSolo measuring any volatiles released during drilling or tailings pile creation. During the lunar landing attempt, the lander came to rest on its side within a small crater approximately 500 m away from the intended landing site. The horizontal landing orientation and location within the crater prevented positive power generation, and the mission ended approximately 12 hr after touchdown. In that time, the payload suite was unable to fulfill its primary mission objectives because TRIDENT could not interact with the lunar surface to perform proper excavation operations due to the lander orientation. Despite this, PRIME-1 was able to perform limited operations and demonstrate instrument functionality of both TRIDENT and MSolo in transit and in the lunar environment. Details of PRIME-1 operations are outlined, offering valuable insight for future lunar exploration efforts.