Jan 27, 2025 - News

Lunar spacecraft developed in Colorado set for voyage

Esteban L. Hernandez

A man in a white coat and facemask points toward a large metal satellite. — Trevor Merkley, lead systems engineer, with the Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft. Photo: Courtesy of Emma Brokaw/Lockheed Martin

A spacecraft designed and developed in Littleton could help researchers determine whether we can safely return to the Moon.

The big picture: The Lunar Trailblazer made its public debut last week inside the Lockheed Martin Space campus in Littleton, where development on the satellite started in 2020.

State of play: The spacecraft will scan the lunar surface by measuring the abundance, distribution and form of water and water molecules, according to Lockheed Martin.

The intrigue: Water on the Moon exists primarily in ice form, per NASA.

The Lunar Trailblazer will detect ice from reflected light and pinpoint locations of frozen water on the Moon's surface to create a high-resolution map, which may help determine a future landing site for programs like Artemis, NASA's planned lunar mission.

What's next: The Lunar Trailblazer is scheduled to launch Feb. 26 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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Lunar spacecraft developed in Colorado set for voyage

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