NASA Focuses Lunar Trailblazer Recontact Efforts Through Mid-June
As NASA continues work to reestablish command of its Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft, the mission team’s modeling indicates that the lighting conditions from May through mid-June are favorable to provide enough sunlight on the spacecraft’s solar panels to recharge the batteries to an operational level and potentially regain command of the spacecraft. Contact with the small satellite was lost the day after its Feb. 26 launch as it entered a low power state.
Lunar Trailblazer’s precise position is known from ground-based astronomy, and modeling of the spacecraft’s spin and orientation are based on these observations. Should enough sunlight reach the spacecraft’s solar panels, the batteries may charge enough to allow the spacecraft’s radio system to boot up.
The mission team has determined that, if the ability to command the spacecraft can be reestablished, the propulsion system is thawed and the instruments are operable, it may be possible to return the spacecraft to an elliptical lunar orbit and complete its lunar science objectives.
If recontact is made during the monitoring period, NASA will hold a continuation/termination review to determine the future viability of the mission. If a signal isn’t received by the end of the period, however, NASA will begin moving to close out the mission.
In late April, NASA established an independent Anomaly Review Board to understand the issues that led to the post-launch anomaly and to identify lessons learned from this mission that could be crucial for enabling the success of future projects.
Lunar Trailblazer was a selection of NASA’s SIMPLEx (Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration) competition, which provides opportunities for low-cost science spacecraft to ride-share with selected primary missions. To maintain the lower overall cost, SIMPLEx missions have a higher risk posture and less-stringent requirements for oversight and management. This higher risk acceptance bolsters NASA’s portfolio of targeted science missions designed to test pioneering mission approaches.
