NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer satellite is set to launch at the end of this month and will play a crucial role in determining the presence of water on the Moon. The satellite, developed by Lockheed Martin, weighs around 440 pounds (200 kg) and is equipped with two main instruments: an infrared spectrometer and an infrared multispectral imager.
The satellite’s High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) will be used to scan the lunar surface from an altitude of just 60 miles (100 km) above, searching for water in permanently shadowed craters. The Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) instrument will provide multispectral imaging capabilities.
To gather data, the satellite will run 12 orbits per day, covering areas around the South Pole where the Artemis program is expected to land. The satellite’s low-energy transfer technique will allow it to reach its desired position using gravity from the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
The mission is expected to take four to seven months, with the satellite entering a circular orbit that enables precise water detection on the lunar surface. Once operational for about two years, the Lunar Trailblazer’s findings could shed light on water cycles in airless bodies throughout the solar system.
As the Artemis program prepares to land humans on the Moon, this mission is crucial in determining the presence and distribution of water on our celestial neighbor.
Source: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/nasa-is-sending-a-water-hunter-to-the-moon-it-ll-need-months-to-get-there-247042.html