10 Mar 2017

Tracking down space vehicles abandoned in orbit or aimlessly floating junk is a technological challenge that will definitely interest the experts. And if finding retired missions moving randomly around the Earth is difficult, it reaches a whole new level when the probes are unpredictably orbiting the Moon

Using a radar “eye” to track down lost probes from Earth. Finding abandoned space vehicles floating in anarchic orbits, or dangerous junk wandering aimlessly, is definitely an interesting technological challenge. And while it may be difficult to pick up clues about the position of retired missions around our own planet, it is that much harder if they're lost around the Moon.
A new application by NASA JPL uses terrestrial radar to get this difficult job done: the first test, passed with flying colours, was to find the lost NASA LRO probe and the Indian Chandrayaan-1. While the first operation came off without a hitch, the second was more complex.

Nonetheless, the researchers knew where to look: by aiming the wave band above the lunar north pole, the JPL experts heard echoes from the Indian probe, which is classified as lost but is still around: the probe has tilted by 180 degrees, but has maintained a regular orbit and is in line with the latest sightings. The hunt for LRO and the rediscovery of Chandrayaan-1 show how terrestrial applications can play a key role in future robotic lunar exploration missions.