Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute

A resurgence of U.S. and international interest in the Moon has led to seven new missions and paradigm-shifting research from returned data. These results have reminded anyone who had forgotten: the Moon is a fascinating neighbor! New theories on the formation and evolution of the Moon, our Solar System, and other planetary systems, new discoveries of water and volatile emplacement around and in the Moon, and new missions to characterize the Moon and its immediate space environment all point to an exciting and vibrant scientific world with vast exploration potential. The NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) was established in 2008 to bridge the science and exploration communities of NASA through lunar research. The NLSI brings together competitively selected research teams to focus on questions of fundamental importance in understanding the formation, evolution, composition and potential of the Moon. The Institute functions in a unique way, enhancing collaborations through the virtual i