NASA’s latest satellite mission, Lunar Trailblazer, is set to launch later this month and will embark on a journey to map the Moon’s surface for water. The small satellite, weighing 440 pounds, will use the gravity of the Sun, Earth, and Moon over several months to gradually line up for capture into lunar orbit.
Lunar Trailblazer was integrated with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and will separate from the rocket approximately 48 minutes after launch. Once in its science orbit, the satellite will glide over the Moon’s surface, making 12 orbits a day and observing the surface at various times of day. The mission aims to produce high-resolution maps of water on the lunar surface, as well as understand water cycles on airless bodies throughout the solar system.
The spacecraft is equipped with two state-of-the-art science instruments: the High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) infrared spectrometer and the Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) infrared multispectral imager. The mission will also conduct a series of intricate navigation maneuvers, including Moon flybys, thruster bursts, and looping orbits, to position the spacecraft for detailed surface mapping.
Lunar Trailblazer is part of NASA’s CLPS initiative, which aims to support future human and robotic missions to the Moon by identifying water locations. The mission’s design and navigation team has planned a low-energy transfer trajectory that will use the gravity of the Sun, Earth, and Moon to guide the spacecraft, reducing propulsion needs.
The data collected during the two-year prime mission will contribute to our understanding of water cycles on airless bodies and support future lunar explorers by pinpointing resources. The mission’s international team consists of seasoned engineers, science team members from several institutions, and local students who are working together to achieve groundbreaking science goals.
Lunar Trailblazer is a pioneering mission that aims to test technologies and push the boundaries of what is possible in space exploration. With its flexible organization and high-risk acceptance, the mission is poised to make significant contributions to our understanding of the Moon and beyond.
Source: https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/jpl/how-nasas-lunar-trailblazer-will-make-a-looping-voyage-to-the-moon