Western professor named to geology team for first crewed lunar landing in 50 years

Gordon “Oz” Osinski will join the geology team in mission control’s science backroom at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston providing support throughout the Artemis III mission. (Source: Western University/Frank Neufeld)

NASA has selected the geology team that will develop the surface science plan for the first crewed lunar landing mission in more than 50 years.

Western’s planetary geologist Gordon “Oz” Osinski joins the team and is the only co-investigator on the geology team from a Canadian university.

“This news feels very surreal and hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Osinski, Earth sciences professor at Western. “To be involved in the first mission back to the surface of the Moon in over 50 years is such an incredible honour.”

NASA’s Artemis III mission will land astronauts, including the first woman on the Moon, near the lunar South Pole to pave the way for long-term exploration.

The Artemis III geology team will work with NASA to determine the mission’s geological science objectives and design the geology surface campaign that the Artemis astronauts will carry out.

“Before launch, we will be mapping the landing site using satellite images, planning out the paths the astronauts will take, and provide them with guidance on the types of samples to bring back,” said Osinski. “After the mission, we will be the first to see the samples brought back and will carry out a preliminary examination before these samples are made available to the scientific community.”