Just Launched: The Trouble Facing Two New Space Probes – What You Need to Know!

Two spacecraft, launched recently, are already facing significant challenges, reminding us how unpredictable space exploration can be. NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer and Astroforge’s Odin took off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 26. Almost immediately, both have encountered problems with communication and power that could threaten their missions.

The Lunar Trailblazer is on a mission to find water on the Moon. After it separated from the Falcon 9, engineers quickly discovered issues with its power system. As of February 27, they lost communication with the spacecraft. Fortunately, NASA regained contact after several hours. Now, their team is working hard to diagnose and fix the power problem. They are using ground stations to analyze the issue and see how they can resolve it.

This mission is part of NASA’s SIMPLEx program, designed for smaller missions at a low cost. Although the Lunar Trailblazer was expected to stay under $55 million, unexpected costs have pushed its total to about $94 million. NASA understands that budget-friendly missions often come with higher risks due to less oversight compared to larger projects.

On the other hand, Astroforge’s Odin probe is also struggling. It was designed to search for valuable metals in asteroids, but has run into significant communication issues that threaten its mission. The trouble started just hours after launch, when the company lost stable contact with the spacecraft.

According to Astroforge CEO Matt Gialich, a failure in a ground-based power amplifier caused these communication problems. In a recent video update, he expressed his frustration, saying, “I don’t even know how you make this up.”

Despite these setbacks, Astroforge is hopeful that Odin is still operational. Early reports suggest the solar panels are functioning well, placing it in a “power-positive state.” NASA is collaborating with Astroforge to reestablish communication and assess the power system issues.

The mission isn’t over yet. Odin is expected to use the Moon’s gravity to propel itself toward an asteroid named 2022 EB5, which is about 4 million miles from Earth. This mission is cost-effective, with a projected budget of $6.5 million—significantly lower than traditional space missions. Astroforge has secured $55 million in funding, supporting its ambitious goals.