# Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper

> US Moon-orbiting ice-finding satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q23581629](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23581629)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Polar_Hydrogen_Mapper)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lunar-polar-hydrogen-mapper

## Summary
The Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper (LunaH-Map) is a U.S. satellite designed to orbit the Moon and search for water ice. Operated by NASA, its primary mission is to create a map of hydrogen distribution within permanently shadowed craters at the lunar south pole, as the presence of hydrogen can indicate water ice.

## Key Facts
- **Type:** Artificial satellite
- **Operator:** National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- **Primary Mission:** To find and map the abundance of hydrogen at the Moon's poles, which is an indicator of water ice.
- **Alias:** LunaH-Map
- **NSSDC ID:** LUNAH-MAP
- **NAIF ID:** -39
- **Commons Category:** LunaH-Map

## FAQs
### Q: What is the Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper's main goal?
A: The main goal of the Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper is to orbit the Moon and create detailed maps of hydrogen, a key component of water. This data will help scientists understand the location and quantity of potential water ice deposits at the lunar poles.

### Q: Who operates the LunaH-Map satellite?
A: The LunaH-Map satellite is operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. government agency responsible for the nation's civil space program.

### Q: Is LunaH-Map the satellite's only name?
A: No, the satellite is also officially known by the shorter alias "LunaH-Map." Its full name is the Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper.

## Why It Matters
The Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper's mission is significant for the future of human space exploration. The presence of water ice on the Moon is a critical factor for establishing a sustainable, long-term human presence. Water can be used for life support (drinking, growing food, creating breathable oxygen) and can also be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen to produce rocket propellant. By providing detailed maps of hydrogen concentrations in permanently shadowed regions at the lunar poles, LunaH-Map helps identify the most resource-rich locations. This data is invaluable for planning future robotic and human missions, including NASA's Artemis program, as it informs where to land, where to establish bases, and where to conduct in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) activities. Essentially, LunaH-Map is a prospector, searching for one of the most vital resources needed to make humanity a multi-planetary species.

## Notable For
- **Specific Mission Focus:** The satellite has a highly specialized mission to map the distribution and abundance of hydrogen at the lunar poles as a proxy for finding water ice.
- **U.S. Government Operation:** It is a U.S. satellite operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- **Official Identifiers:** The mission is tracked and cataloged with multiple official identifiers, including the NSSDC ID LUNAH-MAP and the NAIF ID -39.

## Body
### Mission and Purpose
The Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper is an artificial satellite designed to function as a lunar orbiter. Its primary scientific objective is to find and map deposits of water ice on the Moon. It accomplishes this by detecting and mapping the concentrations of hydrogen, a key component of water (H₂O). The mission focuses specifically on the permanently shadowed regions near the Moon's poles, where water ice is thought to be most abundant and stable.

### Operation and Identification
- **Operator:** The mission is operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- **Identifiers:** The satellite is cataloged under several official systems:
    - **NSSDC ID:** LUNAH-MAP
    - **NAIF ID:** -39

### Naming and Classification
- **Official Name:** Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper
- **Alias:** The mission is commonly referred to as LunaH-Map.
- **Classification:** It is classified as an artificial satellite, meaning it is a human-made object placed into orbit.

## References

1. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=LUNAH-MAP)