MoonBEAM: A Beyond Earth-orbit Gamma-ray Burst Detector for Multi-Messenger Astronomy

Multi-messenger observations of both gravitational wave and neutrino events critically depend upon identifying and localizing gamma-ray transients. At present, these types of observations are largely performed by satellites in low Earth-orbit whose capabilities are constrained by Earth blockage and highly variable particle backgrounds. The Moon Burst Energetics All-sky Monitor (MoonBEAM) is a gamma-ray mission that solves these limitations by using a cislunar orbit to observe the entire sky instantaneously. I will present an overview of the MoonBEAM mission and describe how it can provide the observations needed to construct a comprehensive picture of compact mergers and energetic phenomena, which addresses a key goal of the Astro2020 decadal survey.