NASA to crash satellite into Moon today in search for water

[kateisgr3at]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/US-rocket-ready-to-crash-into-moon/H1-Article1-462946.aspx
US rocket ready to crash into moon
Indo-Asian News Service
Washington, October 09, 2009
First Published: 08:02 IST(9/10/2009)
Last Updated: 08:10 IST(9/10/2009)




A US rocket is to crash into the moon on Friday in an experiment scientists hope will provide data about ice hidden in the perpetually dark lunar craters.

Astronomers around the world are prepared to capture the impact of the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) into the moon's Caebus crater at 1130 GMT. The rocket will deliberately crash into the moon, kicking up a plume of dust that scientists hope to analyse for traces of water that they believe are abundant in the cold, shadowy craters.http://www.hindustantimes.com/images/edstoryimg/moon.jpg

The impact is designed to mimic that of the large, natural asteroids that slam into the moon several times a month. The probe belonging to the US space agency NASA is targeting a 100-km wide, 4-kilometre deep crater and is timed to strike when lighting conditions are ideal for observing the impact. The 585-km craft will hit the moon at about 9,000 kilometres per hour creating at impact crater about 2 metres deep.

Despite the concerns of some naysayers in the blogosphere, the moon will not be harmed by the event. "The impact has about a million times less impact on the moon than a passenger's eyelash falling to the floor of a 747 during flight," said Daniel Andrews, LCROSS project manager.

The total event - from impact until the dust settles - will last just 120 seconds, but scientists say the experiment will produce valuable information to be collected on nine instruments, including five cameras that capture images in colour, thermal and near-infrared images.

Simultaneously, the companion Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a satellite now circling the moon, as well as the Hubble Space Telescope and terrestrial telescopes, will capture images of the impact. The composition of the material kicked up by theimpact will help scientists deduce whether water is present.

When seen from the ground with an amateur telescope, the dust cloud will amount to a dim shimmer across a shadow adjacent to the crater. NASA says the best way to watch is at the parties being hosted by astronomy societies or online at the NASA website.

Data from three deep-space missions late last month revealed that there are small, but widespread amounts of water across the entire surface of the moon. That announcement is seen as complementing, not preempting, the LCROSS mission.

Astronomers said before the impact that new data from $79-millionLCROSS mission will complement the earlier findings because water is believed to be much more abundant in the craters. The findings could aid future manned missions to the moon, which could

establish long-term outposts.

NASA scientists said that it is possible for frozen water to have remained in the moon's craters for billions of years, because the bottoms of the craters are never reached by sunlight and protect any ice from evaporation into the thin lunar atmosphere.

[blu]

Those fuckers are going to mess around and throw the whole solar system off kilter.

[the color nine]

China did this last March not to test for water though but to gain lunar landing information.

[dzovi]

There's plenty of water down here on earth.  I could think of a lot better way to spend $79 million.

[delta9]

[quote author=dzovi link=topic=22721.msg1423463#msg1423463 date=1256249292]
There's plenty of water down here on earth.  I could think of a lot better way to spend $79 million.
[/quote]

water means there might have been life on the moon.

[dzovi]

[quote author=delta9 link=topic=22721.msg1423466#msg1423466 date=1256249384]
water means there might have been life on the moon.
[/quote]

I understand that, I just don't really care.  Even if they found bacteria or some other simple life form how would that help or change anything?

[Jonelle]

Everytime I read this thread I envision that clip from the Larry King show, where the moon fires back at Earth and I get the giggles. I can't help but think that when searching for new life form's on other planets that bombing them might be the wrong approach. I hope they don't try it in other solar systems ... One day a long time from now, of course. People are funny they make me laugh. : lol :