JPL’s Lunar Trailblazer Set To Launch On Commercial Moon Mission

Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is preparing to send its latest lunar explorer skyward, hitching a ride on a commercial mission that exemplifies the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s new approach to Moon exploration.

The JPL-managed Lunar Trailblazer satellite will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, February 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as a rideshare with Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 commercial lunar mission. The launch represents a significant milestone for the Pasadena institution’s ongoing contribution to lunar science.

The Lunar Trailblazer will undertake a critical scientific mission: mapping the distribution of different forms of water on the Moon. According to the mission briefing, once separated from the main mission, the spacecraft will establish its own dedicated lunar orbit to begin its survey.

While the primary mission involves Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander Athena, which will attempt to land at Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau in the Moon’s South Pole, no earlier than March 6, JPL‘s Lunar Trailblazer will embark on its independent orbital mission. The IM-2 mission carries multiple National Aeronautics and Space Administration science investigations and technology demonstrations, including one of the first on-site demonstrations of resource use on the Moon. A drill and mass spectrometer will measure potential volatiles or gases from lunar soil, while a passive Laser Retroreflector Array will provide future spacecraft with a permanent reference point on the lunar surface.

The mission includes additional technology demonstrations of a robust surface communications system and a propulsive drone capable of hopping across the lunar surface, highlighting the comprehensive scope of this lunar venture.

The pairing of JPL‘s scientific satellite with a commercial lunar mission highlights the evolution of space exploration, where government expertise meets private sector capabilities. For Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which has been at the forefront of space exploration since the 1950s, this partnership represents a new chapter in its storied history.

The mission comes as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration intensifies its focus on lunar exploration through the Artemis program, with Jet Propulsion Laboratory playing a crucial role in the scientific understanding of Earth’s closest celestial neighbor. The data gathered by Lunar Trailblazer could prove essential for future crewed missions to the Moon, helping identify potential resources for long-term lunar operations.

Launch coverage will begin approximately 45 minutes before liftoff on National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s streaming platforms. Prelaunch events start Tuesday, February 25, with an 11 a.m. Eastern lunar science and technology media teleconference, followed by a lunar delivery readiness media teleconference on Wednesday, February 26, at 11:30 a.m. Eastern. The specific launch time will be announced the week of February 24.