Three hundred years ago, we thought gravity was solved on Earth. Newton gave the math, Cavendish built the first torsion balance—two lead balls on a wire, measure the twist. Gravitational constant G. Mass attracts mass, inverse square, universal.

In 1972, Apollo 17 deploys the Lunar Surface Gravimeter for precise lunar gravity. Calibration weights too light for 1/6th g. Beam won’t zero. Assumptions fail.

We’re fixing that—building a torsion beam balance to measure real mutual pull on lunar regolith.

Where we stand:

•  Design locked: aluminum rod, quartz fiber, laser readout

•  Materials sourced: fiber, mirrors, sensors from UK suppliers

•  Printing & fab lined up: hybrid mounts, no sag

•  Collaborations brewing: UBC (Vancouver) and University of Southampton

Where the money goes (transparent):

£9,500 total—broken down:

•  £4,000: Precision optics, quartz fiber, sensors

•  £2,500: Vacuum chamber parts & regolith simulant

•  £1,500: Travel & outreach (UBC-Southampton meetings, influencer collabs like Scott Manley & Everyday Astronaut for visibility)

•  £1,000: Documentation (video, photos, logs)

•  £500: Promotion (ads, reach)

Project based in Southampton, UK—near University of Southampton’s gravity research labs.

One planet isn’t enough. Direct Moon data needed. If pull changes in dust, laws aren’t universal.

Regular updates: progress, setbacks, results, spending.

Help us build the test Apollo never could