<!– wp:paragraph –>
The Toolbox for Research and Exploration (TREX) team met for a virtual update and visit to the project’s labs around the world. TREX is a node of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). PSI Senior Scientist Amanda Hendrix is the Principal Investigator for the $5.5 million TREX project.
<!– /wp:paragraph –>
<!– wp:paragraph –>
TREX is developing tools and research methods to prepare for human exploration of the Moon, near-Earth asteroids, and the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos. The TREX team is determining the detailed characteristics of the very fine-grained dust that covers the surfaces of these objects, which makes human exploration challenging by its presence. Another objective is to understand what resources may exist on the surfaces of these objects that can be utilized by humans in space.
<!– /wp:paragraph –>
<!– wp:paragraph –>
Attendees saw TREX research facilities and lab equipment, and were updated on current research results and public outreach activities.
<!– /wp:paragraph –>
<!– wp:paragraph –>
TREX supports PSI scientists located in Colorado, Missouri, Maryland, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Virginia, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington DC, and Texas, in additional to several international locations. Other institutions partnering with PSI on this include NASA Johnson Space Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, Universities Space Research Association, University of Colorado, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab and University of Illinois. Participating foreign institutions include University of Winnipeg, (Canada) and Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) (Germany).
<!– /wp:paragraph –>
<!– wp:paragraph –>
Dec. 6, 2020
<!– /wp:paragraph –>
