NASA's Lunar Trailblazer Goes Silent: Misaligned Solar Panels Suspected
NASA's Lunar Trailblazer, launched on February 26, 2025, lost contact with Earth a day later, raising concerns over its mission to map lunar water. Engineers suspect solar panel misalignment as the culprit, leading to a low-power state. Efforts to re-establish communication are underway, using ground-based telescopes and radio antennas. This mission, part of NASA's high-risk, low-cost SIMPLEx program, aimed to explore lunar water resources critical for future moon missions.
Jul 1