LADEE
Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer
Studied lunar dust to learn more about the Moon
![](https://lasp.colorado.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/LADEE_1080x1080-768x768.png)
The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) was designed to characterize the tenuous lunar atmosphere and dust environment from orbit. LADEE had two scientific objectives: Determine the global density, composition, and time variability of the fragile lunar atmosphere before it is perturbed by further human activity; Determine the size, charge, and spatial distribution of electrostatically transported dust grains and assess their likely effects on lunar exploration and lunar-based astronomy.
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![](https://lasp.colorado.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/LADEE_1080x1080-768x768.png)
Launch Date: September 6, 2013
Prime Mission: 100 days of science operations
Planned impact on lunar surface: April 17, 2014
Lead Institution: NASA’s Ames Research Center
Lead Funding Agency: NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
Partners: NASA Ames Research Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center