Seminars

The Moon is a “multi-tool” when it comes to unlocking the mysteries of the Solar System.  First it is a cornerstone for understanding Solar System science. The Moon is a “mini planet” in the essence that it has experienced the same geologic processes that have shaped the terrestrial planets. Due to its lack of atmosphere the Moon has preserved the effect of these processes, making it the ideal location to study them. Secondly the Moon is the perfect platform from which to learn how to efficiently conduct human/robotic exploration. It represents a technically challenging (but doable) environment from which to learn how to further explore with humans into the Solar System.

Intuitive Machines “Odysseus” successfully landed on the lunar surface in February 2024, sending back data from its suite of instruments for more than 6 days. I will present highlights of IM-1 as well as discuss future plans. Our second mission, IM-2 is scheduled to fly later this year, and IM-3 in 2025. This regular cadence of lunar surface access has the potential to fundamentally change how we explore the Moon.  It lowers the point of entry, not only from a cost perspective, but being able to plan for regular access permits universities and industry to take smaller bites of the “Moon pie”.

Bio: Dr. Bussey is a planetary scientist who is currently the chief scientist for Intuitive Machines. He earned a BA in Physics from Oxford University and a Ph.D. in Planetary Geology at University College London before moving to the United States. He gained both science and mission experience during his 20 years at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, before joining Intuitive Machines in 2022. He has also worked at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, the European Space Agency, Northwestern University and the University of Hawaii.

Dr. Bussey’s research concentrates on the remote sensing of the surfaces of planets, particularly the Moon. He has a specific interest in the lunar poles, producing the first quantitative illumination maps of the polar regions. He co-authored the Clementine Atlas of the Moon, the first atlas to map both the lunar near side and far side in a systematic manner.

Dr. Bussey spent 5-years at NASA HQ which included roles as the Acting Deputy Associate Administrator of Exploration in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, and as the Chief Exploration Scientist in the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. During his time at JHU/APL he was Principal Investigator of NASA VORTICES SSERVI and NASA Lunar Science Institute research teams that considered the exploration and scientific potential of the lunar poles. He was the Principal Investigator of the Mini-RF radar instrument on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and Deputy Principal Investigator of the Mini-RF radar instrument on India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission. These instruments acquired the first radar data of the lunar poles and farside.

He enjoys planetary analog field work and has twice been part of the Antarctic Search for Meteorites expedition to recover meteorites from the Antarctic glaciers.