'In search of Moon’s water': SpaceX successfully launches NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer into orbit
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on 26 February, carrying the Athena lunar lander and NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer orbiter. The launch supports NASA’s ongoing efforts to explore the Moon’s surface.
Athena, built by Intuitive Machines, is designed to study water ice near the Moon’s south pole. Lunar Trailblazer will operate from orbit, mapping potential water deposits to aid future lunar exploration.
NASA is prioritising the search for water ice as part of its Artemis programme, which aims to establish sustainable human presence on the Moon. The collected data will support long-term lunar habitation.
Athena’s mission, IM-2, is part of NASA’s CLPS initiative, which collaborates with private companies to transport scientific instruments and technology to the Moon. This follows the IM-1 mission, which successfully landed in 2024.
Athena carries NASA’s PRIME-1 experiment, which includes the TRIDENT drill and MSolo spectrometer, designed to extract and analyse lunar regolith for signs of water. The lander also features a "hopper" robot named Grace for exploration.
A mini rover called MAPP will test the Moon’s first 4G/LTE network, developed by Nokia Bell Labs, to facilitate communication between landers and robotic explorers in challenging terrain.
Apart from Athena and Lunar Trailblazer, the Falcon 9 carried Astroforge’s Odin spacecraft and Epic Aerospace’s CHIMERA GEO 1. Future lunar missions under NASA’s CLPS programme will continue to focus on resource utilisation and scientific exploration.
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