ABB announced that they will develop a lunar soil analysis instrument for Canada's Lunar Utility Rover, enhancing lunar exploration and resource utilization through advanced infrared spectroscopy.
ABB has announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to develop the concept for a lunar soil analysis instrument that will fly aboard Canada’s forthcoming Lunar Utility Rover, marking another milestone in the company’s long-standing involvement in space-based analytical technologies (1). The project positions ABB at the forefront of efforts to better understand the Moon’s surface composition and to evaluate how lunar resources could support sustained human presence (1).
As part of the contract, ABB will design the concept for the Autonomous Lunar Exploration Infrared Spectrometer (ALExIS), which a specialized instrument derived from the company’s proven Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR)-related technology. FT-IR systems from ABB are already deployed in continuous, around-the-clock industrial operations on Earth, where they are valued for their robustness, precision, and reliability. For the lunar mission, ABB engineers will adapt this technology to withstand the Moon’s extreme environment while meeting the scientific objectives of robotic exploration (1).
Canada’s Lunar Utility Rover is being developed as a versatile platform that can support international Moon exploration initiatives led by space agencies around the world. One of its core roles will be to conduct in situ scientific measurements that enhance understanding of lunar geology and environmental conditions (1). ABB’s ALExIS will aid in this effort by analyzing the chemical composition of the Moon’s surface soil, or regolith (1).
The lunar regolith contains a complex mixture of chemically bound elements essential for future exploration and habitation. These elements include oxygen, silicon, iron, aluminum, calcium, and magnesium (1). These elements, along with traces of water ice, are embedded within lunar minerals. However, their distribution is uneven and highly dependent on local geology (1). As interest grows in in situ resource utilization, rover-based prospecting is expected to become a critical phase of lunar exploration.
ABB’s ALExIS will collect spectral fingerprints of molecules across a wide range, from the edge of the visible spectrum into the thermal infrared. By measuring how infrared (IR) light interacts with the lunar soil, the FT-IR-based instrument can reveal the chemical makeup of surface materials and help map the distribution of key elements (1). The resulting data will provide scientists with insights into lunar surface composition, mineralogy, and morphology, supporting both fundamental research and future mission planning.
“We are extremely proud to be a part of this important next chapter of lunar exploration,” said Marc Corriveau, General Manager for ABB’s Measurement & Analytics division in Canada (1). “Our FT-IR analytical technology has delivered reliable, high-precision results in demanding industrial environments on Earth, and now it can provide the same level of performance contributing to the exploration of the Moon.”
As part of the concept development phase, ABB will work closely with lunar exploration specialists and rover experts to define optimal use cases and concepts of operations for the instrument. This collaborative approach is intended to ensure that ALExIS meets mission needs while balancing performance, reliability, and cost (1). ABB will also contribute to outlining future development phases and establishing cost-performance metrics for the program.
The lunar rover contract further underscores ABB’s commitment to space innovation and highlights the work of its 220-strong engineering team dedicated to space technologies at its Quebec City facility (2). As a leader in optical satellite instrumentation, ABB currently has 45 customer-specific optical payloads operating on 29 satellites, delivering critical data for environmental monitoring and scientific research (2).
Globally, ABB is known as a technology leader in electrification and automation, with more than 140 years of history and approximately 110,000 employees worldwide (2). Through projects such as ALExIS, the company continues to extend its engineering and analytical expertise beyond Earth.
