A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer orbiter as a secondary payload. The primary payload was Intuitive Machines' lunar lander mission (IM-2).
- IM-2’s Objective: To settle on to the moon where it will drill beneath the surface in a bid to find water there.
About Lunar Trailblazer Mission
- Objective: It will orbit at an altitude of roughly 100 km and collect high-resolution images of targeted areas to determine:
- The form, distribution and abundance of water and to better understand the lunar water cycle.
- Significance: Guide future human missions to locate and extract water resources.
- Components: Two Lunar Trailblazer instruments will take measurements from lunar Orbit:
- Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM): will map and measure the lunar surface temperature.
- High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3): It will search for light patterns indicating water on Moon.
Importance of Lunar Water
- Drinking Supply: Processed into drinkable water
- Breathable Oxygen: Converted into oxygen for breathing
- Rocket Fuel: Hydrogen fuel for rockets.
- Exploration of the Solar System: Lunar water enables deeper space exploration, including Mars.