LADEE (Lunar atmosphere dust environment explorer) as explained by NASA is a unmanned robotic mission on its way to the moon -that will orbit the moon and gather information about the lunar atmosphere and environmental influences on lunar dust –this will help understand other planetary bodies.LADEE is going to take 30 days to reach the moon and enter it’s orbit. What’s unique about the LADEE is that is has been made using a “ Common Spacecraft Bus” design –meaning instead of a customized, designed for a specific mission type of spacecraft –this common modular design has the ability to perform various kinds of missions – with just the addition or subtraction of some components but the basic common body remaining the same .This will hugely bring down the cost of space craft development.
Photo Credits: nasa's ladee
References: www.nasa.gov