Beorn
10-07-2009, 07:04 PM
(ChattahBox)—NASA plans to launch a powerful missile aimed directly at the South pole of the moon with the goal of blasting a hole in the lunar surface. Space scientists believe the blast would break up any lunar ice trapped underneath, propelling it above the moon’s surface, allowing NASA to detect the water molecules. The search for water and other natural resources in space has long been a goal of space exploration. And finding sources of water on the moon would make future lunar missions easier and less costly, if there is no need to transport water from Earth.
The Lunar Crater Observing and Sensing Satellite or LCROSS mission (http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/mission.htm) will send a missile traveling at twice the speed of a bullet to blast a hole in the lunar surface of the moon on Friday.
The missile will impact the lunar surface at the crater Cabeus A, located on the moon’s South pole, where scientists believe there may be billions of tons of trapped ice.
Scientists expect the impact of the powerful Centaur rocket would release a huge plume of moon dust and debris. The moon dust blast should be large enough for amateur scientists to view from Earth through telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger, says NASA.
The dramatic LCROSS mission to bomb the moon will be broadcast on a Live NASA TV (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#)Broadcast, which will start at 6:15 a.m. EDT/3:15 a.m. PDT on October 9, 2009.
Source (http://chattahbox.com/science/2009/10/06/nasa-to-bomb-the-moon-to-search-for-water/)
As soon as I heard of this I thought of the remake for the Time Machine with that Guy Pearce in it.
Skip straight to 5:18 mark to understand why.
B6lkxqGDeyo
The Lunar Crater Observing and Sensing Satellite or LCROSS mission (http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/mission.htm) will send a missile traveling at twice the speed of a bullet to blast a hole in the lunar surface of the moon on Friday.
The missile will impact the lunar surface at the crater Cabeus A, located on the moon’s South pole, where scientists believe there may be billions of tons of trapped ice.
Scientists expect the impact of the powerful Centaur rocket would release a huge plume of moon dust and debris. The moon dust blast should be large enough for amateur scientists to view from Earth through telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger, says NASA.
The dramatic LCROSS mission to bomb the moon will be broadcast on a Live NASA TV (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#)Broadcast, which will start at 6:15 a.m. EDT/3:15 a.m. PDT on October 9, 2009.
Source (http://chattahbox.com/science/2009/10/06/nasa-to-bomb-the-moon-to-search-for-water/)
As soon as I heard of this I thought of the remake for the Time Machine with that Guy Pearce in it.
Skip straight to 5:18 mark to understand why.
B6lkxqGDeyo