NASA launches tiny Lunar Trailblazer satellite to discover traces of water on the Moon

Sunlight gleams off NASA's Lunar Trailblazer in this artist's concept depicting the small satellite in lunar orbit. (Image: NASA)

A small NASA satellite is on a mission to map lunar water, a key resource for future space exploration. Launched on Wednesday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the Lunar Trailblazer orbiter will search for water in the moon’s cold, shadowed regions.

The 200 kg satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, was deployed as a secondary payload. The primary mission on the rocket was Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander. The moon is often seen as dry, but past studies suggest traces of water, even in sunlit areas. Scientists believe significant ice deposits may exist in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles.

Lunar Trailblazer, spanning 3.5 metres with its solar panels extended, will map these regions from orbit. It aims to determine the form, distribution, and quantity of lunar water, offering crucial insights for future exploration.

Preparing for Future Missions
Water on the moon could be used for drinking, producing oxygen, and making hydrogen fuel. The South Pole, with its shadowed craters, is a prime target. Some water may also be trapped in lunar dust and rock.

The spacecraft will perform moon flybys before settling into an orbit 100 km above the surface. It will capture high-resolution images and gather data to study the lunar water cycle. Scientists hope to identify sites where rovers or astronauts can explore ice deposits.

Analysing Lunar Water
The mission carries two key instruments. The Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) will measure surface temperatures, while the High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) will detect water.

Scientists believe lunar water has several origins. Solar wind may react with lunar minerals to form water, while comets and meteorites may have delivered ice over billions of years. The total amount of lunar water remains unknown but could be in the millions of tons.

“Understanding lunar water could also reveal clues about Earth’s own water origins,” said planetary scientist Tristram Warren from the University of Oxford. With its findings, Lunar Trailblazer could help shape the future of lunar exploration and human missions.