NASA is struggling to restore contact with the Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft, a lunar science mission launched on February 26th. The loss of communication, occurring less than 12 hours after launch, has jeopardized the mission's original plan.
While the spacecraft briefly reactivated its transmitter, full telemetry and control remain elusive. NASA believes the spacecraft is in a slow spin, operating in a low-power state. This prevented essential trajectory correction maneuvers (TCMs) needed for a planned lunar flyby on March 3rd.
The intended flyby, along with another in May, was crucial for achieving lunar orbit in July and commencing the scientific study of lunar water. NASA is now exploring alternative TCM strategies to potentially salvage parts of the mission.
“The Lunar Trailblazer team has been working around the clock to re-establish communications with the spacecraft,” said Nicky Fox, NASA associate administrator for science. “NASA sends up high-risk, high-reward missions like Lunar Trailblazer to do incredible science at a lower cost, and the team truly encapsulates the NASA innovative spirit — if anyone can bring Lunar Trailblazer back, it is them.”
This incident represents a setback for NASA's Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program. Previous SIMPLEx missions have also encountered challenges, including the cancellation of the Janus mission and delays for ESCAPADE. The difficulties faced by Lunar Trailblazer underscore the inherent risks in low-cost space missions.