Posted on 10/05/2009 10:24:09 AM PDT by TaraP
NASA's LCROSS Mission Changes Impact Crater 09.29.09 NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite mission (LCROSS) based on new analysis of available lunar data, has shifted the target crater from Cabeus A to Cabeus (proper).
The decision was based on continued evaluation of all available data and consultation/input from members of the LCROSS Science Team and the scientific community, including impact experts, ground and space based observers, and observations from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), Lunar Prospector (LP), Chandrayaan-1 and JAXA's Kaguya spacecraft. This decision was prompted by the current best understanding of hydrogen concentrations in the Cabeus region, including cross-correlation between the latest LRO results and LP data sets.
The general consensus of lunar experts led by the LCROSS science team is that Cabeus shows, with the greatest level of certainty, the highest hydrogen concentrations at the south pole. Further consideration of the most current terrain models provided by JAXA's Kaguya spacecraft and the LRO Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) was important in the decision process.The models show a small valley in an otherwise tall Cabeus perimeter ridge, which will allow for sunlight to illuminate the ejecta cloud on Oct. 9, and much sooner than previously estimated for Cabeus.
While the ejecta does have to fly to higher elevations to be observed by Earth assets, a shadow cast by a large hill along the Cabeus ridge, provides an excellent, high-contrast, back drop for ejecta and vapor measurements.
Scientists expect the impact will cause a huge cloud of dust,gas and vaporized water that will be clearly visible from Earthobservatories and telescopes.
Impact scheduled to be at 11:30 am LONDON - 5:30 am MEXICO CITY.
Astronomers have been thinking the rain of comets brought water to the moon.In the past 2 years 2 American spacecrafts have reported hints of hydrogen and oxygen.
Finding water would be great news for the NASA, it would mean unlimited fuel for any future moon base.
The U.N. Outer Space Treaty prohibits non-peaceful activities on the moon.
Article IV states, “The moon and other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties to the Treaty exclusively for peaceful purposes.
The establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres on celestial bodies shall be forbidden.”
What date(s) is this happening? Got the time, but no date.
So Red China will call them "research stations".
So Red China will call them "research stations".
The 9th, this friday...
I suspect the treaty will be measured in hours once colonization of space begins in earnest.
Can I buy moon-bomb credits to offset the disturbances to the oceans’ tides when the moon starts to wobble from the bomb? Can I also buy sunspot credits to offset global cooling?
Nuke the Moon!!!
I don’t care. We don’t need to do this. I like the moon as a moon, not a source of sustenance for space men. Wish they would only visit and otherwise leave the moon alone.
Someone needs to alert Frank J at IMAO....
And I suppose it’s Bush’s fault we’re invading the Moon now?
I think they are Whacked.
There are two ways to watch the show.
First, turn on NASA TV. The space agency will broadcast the action live from the Moon, with coverage beginning Friday morning at 3:15 am PDT (10:15 UT). The first hour or so, pre-impact, will offer expert commentary, status reports from mission control, camera views from the spacecraft, and telemetry-based animations.
The actual impacts commence at 4:30 am PDT (11:30 UT). The Centaur rocket will strike first, transforming 2200 kg of mass and 10 billion joules of kinetic energy into a blinding flash of heat and light. Researchers expect the impact to throw up a plume of debris as high as 10 km.
Close behind, the LCROSS mothership will photograph the collision for NASA TV and then fly right through the debris plume. Onboard spectrometers will analyze the sunlit plume for signs of water (H2O), water fragments (OH), salts, clays, hydrated minerals and assorted organic molecules
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/05oct_lcrossvg.htm
This is outrageous.... aren’t they worried about disturbing the complex eco-system on the moon.
Don’t they realize that they might upset the unique ecological balance there? Where is the Serria Club? Where are all the enviro-terrorists?
/SARC
I guess they flatly don’t care...They have no idea how this will effect the Moon, the earth or anything else....
They want to bomb the Moon for it’s water..What right does NASA have to upset the Universe? how arrogrant, evil and beyond stupid.
I t would be neat if the Hubble Space Telescope would be in a position to capture this event. With its power and being above the atmosphere, the images would be far clearer than any earth-bound scopes could provide.
BTW, does anyone know when the higher resolution images of the six Apollo lunar landing sites are to be expected?
http://www.thelivingmoon.com/43ancients/02files/Transient_Lunar_Stuart.html
The moon has been blasted big time, and not to long ago. The above link describes a HUGE explosion seen and photographed in 1953. A lot of revisionist ‘know-it-alls’ have tried to discount it saying it’s too big, or too small, or not deep enough, or too deep etc.
I built some hardware for this. It’ll be pretty neat to see my stuff scattered all over the place.
The Stewart event previously cited was probably a comet fragment similar to the Tunguska event. Both caused huge explosions but no crater resulted in either case because all the energy went into vaporizing the fragment of ice.
Someone has to teach those moononites a lesson. They refuse to acknowledge who won The Election.
Excellent. There is military potential. If the Russians breaks treaties, the United States should do the same
It does not really break the 1967 treaty because nuclear weapons are not involved and its not a military mission. Its a scientific one, those there are some overtones to it. The Clemetine mission to the fired a laser on the moon anmd tested a new radar that was used for SDI.this mission was sponsored by the SDIO.
this was on drudge. I don’t see it anymore.
Doesn’t this cause carbon footprints?
Take that Lunar scum! That’s what you get for ‘stabilizing’ our planetary rotation, you control-freaks!
It also does not break the 1967 treaty because the USSR no longer exists.
As far as I can tell the treaty now only exists as a legal figment between the UK and the US.
Even while it existed, the Russians were breaking this and every other treaty.
The Moonies deserve everthing they are going to get. It used to be hell to get through LAX, and SFO ;-)
The Moonies deserve everthing they are going to get. It used to be hell to get through LAX, and SFO ;-)
So that's where the moonies went. They were followers of some Korean dude known as Sum Dung Moon or something.
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