During the first flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the second flight of Orion, the Lunar Flashlight secondary payload will look for ice deposits and identify locations where resources may be extracted from the Moon’s surface. The first flight of NASA’s new rocket and Orion spacecraft will deploy 13 CubeSats — small satellite secondary payloads — that will carry science and technology investigations to test innovative ideas that help pave the way for future human exploration in deep space. SLS’ first flight, Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), provides the rare opportunity for these small experiments to reach deep space destinations, as most launch opportunities for CubeSats are limited to low-Earth orbit. They are a showcase of the intersection of science, technology, and exploration. Artist conception, credit: NASA #nasa #themoon #lunar #lunarexploration #flashlight #secondarypayload #cubesats #sls #orion #em1 #exploration #deepspace