The second stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 completed its Earth departure burn, and NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft has separated from it and is flying independently. The spacecraft is now expected to carry out a series of automated processes, including powering itself up, deploying its solar arrays, and orienting them toward the Sun.
Starting about 30 minutes after separation, the mission’s operations team will work to receive an initial signal from the spacecraft. Once initial contact has been made, it will be several more hours until two-way communications can be established and detailed telemetry checks are carried out.
Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and led by Caltech in Pasadena, California, the small satellite will arrive at the Moon in about four months to generate the highest-ever resolution maps of the Moon’s surface water to determine the water’s location, form, abundance, and how it changes over time. These maps will also provide clues to other questions, like how and when Earth got its water, and support future lunar robotic and human exploration and commercial interests.
To read more about today’s IM-2 launch, please visit
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/artemis/