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A clarification explains the lunar Trailblazer probe on Al -Jos to investigate the abundance and distribution of water on the moon, as well as the lunar water cycle. | Credit: Lockheed Martin
Littleton, Colorado-the orbit of the university-led moon is designed to locate the ice or liquid water besieged in the rocks on the surface of the moon ready to take off.
the Moon Trail Blazer It is scheduled to be launched on top a Spacex Falcon 9 is not early in February 26 from NASA Kennedy Space Center In Florida. The “Rideshare” will fly alongside the initial load – The Athena Lunar Lander, built by Houston Intuitive machines.
Here inside a clean room of Lockheed Martin, where she underwent the final grooming before shipment Cape CanaferralLunar Trailblazer use the new Curio Curio platform for Aerospace. Curio is a new and developed structure of a small spacecraft, designed to help explore deep space and investigate scientific questions in an effective cost.
Lunar Trailblazer is managed by NASA Jet Payment Laboratory (JPL) and the leadership of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadina. Bethani Oman, a professor of planetary science at Caltech, is the main investigator of the mission.
Lockheed Martin developed and made the spacecraft about 440 lbs (200 kg), as well as integrating science tools into craftsmanship. The probe is equipped with deployed solar sects.
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Water signature
You will consider Trailblazer Lunar tools the moonPermanently shaded areas to discover small cold traps are less than a football field. Moreover, the electrode probe to the electrode will collect measurements in several times from the day on the sunlight areas, which helps researchers decipher if the water signatures on the luminous surface change with the satellite surface temperature change hundreds of degrees throughout the moon’s day.
“Trailblazer is shared by a little heritage with The spacecraft is a cup That was explored Lunar gravityBronson Collins, chief engineer of the lunar spacecraft in the lunar spacecraft, said.
Grail’s Grail (“Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) launched a dual spacecraft called” EBB “and” Flow “to the moon’s orbit in 2011. Grail investigations are designed by Lockheed Martin.
One of the targets of the moon Triclblazer is to define the shape and abundance of water ice in permanently shaded areas on the moon. | Credit
Launch window
Lunar Trailblazer is part of the NASA small task program to explore the planets (Simplex), and aims to collect science data as the moon revolves. The spacecraft will be operated by both Caltech College students and Pasadena City at the Infrared Treatment and Analysis Center (IPAC).
During my clean room on January 23, Collins looked at the spacecraft, Collins referred to the lunar trailblazer scientific tools: high -resolution fluctuations provided by JPL and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) and lunar thermal phybrip (LTM), from the University of Oxford in England.
“Every task of science is truly done by these two knees,” Collins said. It is installed on the koro platform that includes a large spherical tank. “He will consume a lot of this motivation at the beginning of the mission to reach the moon,” he told Space.com.
On the day of the launch window, Lunar Trailblazer will reach the moon after four to seven months of takeoff. Once in service in the orbit of the moon, the task is scheduled to last for a year or more. When Lunar Trailblazer concludes with the scientific threat, it will be intent It was destroyed in the moon. Collins said this end -of -life path is the so -called “disposal of the surface.”
Related to: Mission to the moon: the past, the present and the future
Increased risks and providing dollars
Reporter Leonard David gets a vision close to the lunar trailblazer probe heading to the moon in a clean room of Lockheed Martin in January 2025. Credit: Barbara David
“This is the first in the vehicle line in our spacecraft, and we have learned a lot,” said Ryan Phaver, director of Lockheed Martin at Lunar Trailblazer. “This production line aims to enable access to space faster and faster. We hope that the first is among many.”
As a low -cost task, “We put the risk a little more here to try to maintain some budget.” This barter between increasing risk and providing dollars means that the moon is a roller laser embodies the “structure of the individual spacecraft”.
In other words, the probe does not contain repetitions in computers or other main parts of the airline. In addition, Lunar Trailblazer also uses spare parts and commercial systems, not specially designed devices.
The interview takes place with Leonard David (left) of the Ryan Pfeiffer space, director of Lockheed Martin in Lunar Trailblazer. | Credit: Barbara David
Water
Phaver said that scientists are keen to understand how water -like products, water, soluble, move and evaporate on the moon freeze. “They are interested in all these conditions to try to understand how water works on the moon,” he said.
Here on landWe understand the water cycle somewhat well, adding Vaver.
“But only recently there has been a glimmer of hope that there is water on the moon,” he said. “She has It has been confirmed nowBut we have no idea how it works, why there and how he got there. “
Science tools will be achieved on Trailblazer Smallsat for lunar water. | Credit: Jasper Miura, Lockheed Martin
Fast setup time
Here at Lockheed Martin, the lunar spacecraft team Treil Blazer took the spacecraft that was fully assembled through its environmental test, said Fever, including the simulation of shaking and vibration that mimics what the orbit of the moon heading to the moon will witness during the launch.
“The lunar environment is very difficult,” said Phaver. And if you are in eclipseNow it is happening truly cold.”
Lunar Trailblazer is now connected to Cape Canaveral. It is scheduled to be subject to the minimum and rapid preparatory time, take over the final authority before its launch, ship the batteries and download the motivation, followed by integration with Falcon 9 Rideshare adapter.
Lunar Trailblazer has undergone a final treatment in a clean room of Lockheed Martin before shipment to Cape Capeeral, Florida, to launch it. | Credit: Barbara David
Moon to Mars
Related stories:
– Artemis astronauts can help live in the southern pole
– Can NASA’s ARTEMIS Moon’s tasks rely on the use of lunar water ice?
– Cold like ice (moon): protecting the polar areas of the moon from pollution
Lunar Trailblazer said that Lunar Trailblazer will make a kind of “the most enlightened” exploration. “It is important for us to know how we have Solar power system It has evolved over time, and how our moon regime has evolved. “
Poyser added that the evaluation of potential water water wells can provide the ability to use this resource “and know the best way to use it.” Such action can enable the growth of a continuous human presence on the moon, which is something that NASA aims to achieve Artemis program.
Beyond the moon, and human travel to Mars It is within reach. “There is so much that we will learn to be in the moon, to help us know how to live effectively in Mars,” said Bayser.
