Puli Lunar Water Snooper vibration test

The Puli Lunar Water Snooper (PLWS), built by Hungarian space technology company Puli Space Technologies, during vibration testing in Hungary, at the Ecotech Zrt Lab, University of Dunaújváros, in 2022.

PLWS is a neutron spectrometer that will study water ice in the Moon's south pole region and provide the first direct surface measurements from a permanently shadowed crater.

The NASA-awarded instrument is mounted on Intuitive Machines'  Micro Nova Hopper, a propulsive drone that will deploy off their lunar lander and hop across the Moon's surface during their second commercial mission, scheduled for no earlier than late February of this year.

ESA’s Lunar Science Office recognises the importance of the expected data and has made history by signing its first exploration data buy agreement with Puli Space Technologies. This collaboration highlights the expertise in the European space industry and sets a precedent for future public-private partnerships in deep space exploration. ESA will select a dedicated scientific team to work closely with Puli Space to analyse and standardise the data, which will be made publicly available later.