Artemis 2028 Could Bring Mantle Samples From the Moon’s Ancient Basin
New simulations of the Moon’s South Pole–Aitken basin suggest the basin formed from a southward, oblique impact by a ~260-km differentiated body. The resulting ejecta pattern may leave mantle material near the basin rim, giving Artemis 2028 a rare opportunity to sample lunar mantle and illuminate the Moon’s formation and early solar system history.