The Lunar Trailblazer mission to the moon formally ended on July 31, but it surely wasn’t an entire journey. NASA at this time that its groups misplaced contact with the satellite tv for pc shortly after its launch a number of months prior.
The NASA satellite tv for pc was a part of the IM-2 mission by Intuitive Machines, which took off from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Area Heart on February 26 at 7:16PM ET. The Lunar Trailblazer efficiently separated from the rocket as deliberate about 48 minutes after launch. Operators in Pasadena, CA established communication with the satellite tv for pc at 8:13PM ET, however two-way communication was misplaced the subsequent day and the staff was unable to get better the connection. From the restricted knowledge floor groups obtained earlier than the satellite tv for pc went darkish, the craft’s photo voltaic arrays weren’t accurately positioned towards the solar, which brought on its batteries to empty.
“Whereas it was not the result we had hoped for, mission experiences like Lunar Trailblazer assist us to study and scale back the danger for future, low-cost small satellites to do revolutionary science as we put together for a sustained human presence on the Moon,” stated Nicky Fox, affiliate administrator at NASA Headquarters’ Science Mission Directorate. “Thanks to the Lunar Trailblazer staff for his or her dedication in engaged on and studying from this mission by way of to the tip.”
The Lunar Trailblazer mission was one among deliberate for journey to the moon throughout 2025. Its purpose was to create high-resolution maps of any water on the moon’s floor, in addition to assessing how a lot water was current, in what kinds and the way it might have modified over time. Fingers crossed the remaining missions have higher success.