NASA SEES Interns Tackle Real-World Challenges in Lunar Exploration

Explore This Section Science Science Activation NASA SEES Interns Tackle… Overview Resources Opportunities Citizen Science Highlights About Science Activation 4 min read NASA SEES Interns Tackle Real-World Challenges in Lunar Exploration The Matrix Team developed a sophisticated interactive dashboard for the IM-3 mission that allows users to vary engine, spacecraft, and orbital parameters to investigate the effect on propellant margins and landing zone availability. The NASA STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Internship Program at the University of Texas Center for Space Research places high school students on small, mission-focused research teams mentored by NASA, academic, and industry experts. During summer 2026, the SEES Mission Architecture Tool for Research, Integration, and eXploration (MATRIX) team focused on applying a method for measuring propellant mass in microgravity, where liquid fuel clings to tank walls instead of settling – a challenge central to NASA’s Artemis missions. The MATRIX team was mentored by Dr. Kevin Crosby, who, along with colleagues at NASA, developed the Modal Propellant Gauging (MPG) approach