NASA Works to Regain Contact with Lunar Trailblazer and Evaluate Future Possibilities
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 13, 2025

NASA's mission team is continuing efforts to restore communication with the Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft after losing contact on February 27, just a day after its launch. The mission operators at Caltech's IPAC are working alongside NASA's Deep Space Network to send commands in an attempt to establish a connection.

Several radio ground stations have also volunteered their resources to detect any signals from the small satellite as it travels further from Earth. Meanwhile, the mission team is analyzing available data to gain insight into the spacecraft's orientation and movement. Engineers are utilizing test platforms to simulate various boot-up scenarios and identify potential recovery strategies, particularly in the event that the spacecraft has entered a low-power state.

Despite these ongoing efforts, Lunar Trailblazer's primary science mission is no longer feasible. However, NASA is currently evaluating whether alternative mission objectives might be achievable under the present circumstances.

Lunar Trailblazer was selected as part of NASA's SIMPLEx (Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration) program, which supports cost-effective planetary science missions by allowing them to ride-share with larger primary missions. Due to their lower cost structure, SIMPLEx missions carry a higher risk tolerance and operate under less stringent management and oversight protocols. This approach enables NASA to explore innovative mission designs and expand its scientific exploration portfolio.

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