Instruments
LADEE carries three science instruments and a technology demonstration.
The science payload consists of:
- Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS), which will perform in situ measurements of exospheric species. The instrument has heritage from the SAM instrument on MSL.
- UV-Vis Spectrometer (UVS), which will measure both the dust and atmosphere. The instrument has heritage from the UV-Vis spectrometer on the LCROSS mission.
- Lunar Dust EXperiment (LDEX), which will directly measure dust. The instrument has heritage from instruments on Galileo, Ulysses and Cassini.
The technology demonstration is for optical communication. The Lunar Laser Com Demo (LLCD) will test a new method of communicating with spacecraft that will dramatically increase the rate of data return.
Read more about this topic: Lunar Atmosphere And Dust Environment Explorer
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