Stony Brook University Professor Timothy Glotch to Serve on NASA’s Artemis Mission First Geology Team

Team to Work with Artemis Astronauts for Upcoming Moon Mission in 2028 Upon Their Return

STONY BROOK, NY-April 1, 2026-The University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University) professor and chair of the Department of Geosciences in the College of Arts and Sciences Timothy Glotch will be a participating scientist with NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) as part of Artemis' first lunar surface science team. Professor Glotch is among 10 participating scientists who are joining the team that will shape a science plan for astronauts to complete on the lunar surface under the Artemis program - including deploying scientific instruments, making critical observations of the landing site, and collecting Moon rocks. Professor Glotch will also be supporting the science team at NASA's Mission Control in Houston during Artemis mission operations.

During the mission, astronauts will land near the Moon's South Pole, a landscape of extremes with dark craters that may contain ice and mountain peaks in near-constant illumination. The scientific research during the first crewed Artemis lunar landing mission will provide critical data to support further exploration while digging deeper into questions that have intrigued scientists since the Apollo era - such as the impact history of the Moon or the locations of shallow ice deposits. In addition, the processes that the science team develops and tests during the first Artemis landed lunar mission will provide the framework for science operations during increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon's surface and subsurface.

Professor Glotch and his associates will engage in pre-mission planning, science mission operations and work preparing the post-mission reports to address these questions.

Through Artemis, NASA looks to address high priority science questions in a Golden Age of exploration and discovery, focusing on those best accomplished by human explorers on and around the Moon and by using the unique attributes of the lunar environment. The Artemis missions will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

"Congratulations to the scientists selected to participate in this important Artemis lunar surface science team," said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The selected scientists will bring a wealth of expertise to this team to ensure we are supporting crews on the Moon to achieve the missions' science objectives. Exploring the lunar surface and executing the U.S 's science objectives is a major step toward sustained operations at the Moon and preparation for human exploration of Mars."

"I am incredibly honored to have been selected to join the Artemis lunar surface science team," said Professor Glotch. "I'm looking forward to joining the rest of the team and doing my part to help maximize the scientific return from NASA's first crewed mission to the surface of the Moon in almost 60 years. Lunar research has been a cornerstone of the university's Department of Geosciences since its founding during the Apollo era, and it is exciting to be able to continue that tradition."

Photo credit: Timothy Glotch.

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The State University of New York at Stony Brook is New York's flagship university and No. 1 public university. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. With more than 27,000 students, more than 3,000 faculty members, more than 225,000 alumni, a premier academic healthcare system and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs, Stony Brook is a research-intensive distinguished center of innovation dedicated to addressing the world's biggest challenges. The university embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality, and is ranked as the #59 overall university and #26 among public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges listing. Fostering a commitment to academic research and intellectual endeavors, Stony Brook's membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 71 research institutions in North America. The university's distinguished faculty have earned esteemed awards such as the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize, Fields Medal, Breakthrough prizes in mathematics and physics, and MacArthur Fellows Genius Grants. Stony Brook has the responsibility of co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy - one of only eight universities with a role in running a national laboratory. In 2023, Stony Brook was named the anchor institution for The New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island in New York City. Providing economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region, the university totals an impressive $8.93 billion in increased economic output on Long Island. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stonybrooku/ and X@stonybrooku.