Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer

The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is a space exploration mission planned for launch in 2011. To carry out the mission NASA will send a robotic spacecraft into orbit around the Moon, and use instruments aboard the spacecraft to study the Moon's atmosphere and dust in the Moon's vicinity. Instruments will include a dust counter and a neutral mass spectrometer. LADEE was announced during the presentation of NASA's FY09 budget in February 2008. It will be launched together with the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory payload.

Objectives

# Determine the global density, composition, and time variability of the fragile lunar atmosphere before it is perturbed by further human activity;
# Determine if the Apollo astronaut sightings of diffuse emission at 10s of km above the surface were Na glow or dust and;
# Document the dust impactor environment (size-frequency) to help guide design engineering for the outpost and also future robotic missions.

References

* [http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn13276-nasa-calls-for-ambitious-outer-solar-system-mission.html NASA calls for ambitious outer solar system mission] - "New Scientist" - Feb 5, 2008 - David Shiga
* [http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/214663main_1015-Snook_Lunar_AIAA_Feb_08.pdf NASA's Lunar Science Program] - Feb 27, 2008 - Kelly Snook
* [http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=27450 NASA Solicitation: Instruments for LADEE Lunar Mission] Mar 25, 2008