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LRO and LCROSS are flying to the moon aboard an Atlas V rocket after a flawless liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at ~2:32 PDT on June 18, 2009.
Powered by two liquid-fueled engines and a pair of solid-fueled boosters, the Atlas V roared off the launch pad at Launch Complex 41 to begin NASA’s return to the moon missions.
The countdown held no technical surprises for the NASA and United Launch Alliance launch teams, but a stubborn storm near Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station threatened to hold up the liftoff. Managers quickly reset their schedules for a launch at 2:32 p.m., 20 minutes after the first opportunity. The team knew it had to act fast to make the schedule. “If we hesitated on a decision, we possibly could lose the one good opportunity we would have,” Dovale said.
The LRO spacecraft separated and will follow its own course to reach the moon in four days and enter into an orbit only 31 miles above the moon.
The LCROSS spacecraft will stay connected to the Centaur upper stage and go into a long orbit around the moon and Earth, performing several lunar swingbys as it builds up speed. It is about the size of a SUV and going as fast as a speeding bullet. LCROSS will aim the rocket’s upper stage and then itself into a crater at the moon’s south pole. LRO will gather data during the impact event, and scientists on the ground will analyze the plume of lunar material kicked up when the Centaur slams into the moon in an effort to conclusively determine whether there is water or ice on the lunar surface. Hopefully they will see tiny ice crystals that have been lofted into space!
The LCROSS spacecraft itself is also equipped with nine instruments designed to scan particles in the mushroom cloud of dust. After relaying its data to Earth, the LCROSS will create a second plume when it impacts the lunar South Pole on October 8, 2009.
Check back with the NASA Lunar Science Institute’s Web site as we track the progress of these two spacecraft!
Watch a short video from the news: NASA launches rocket to the moon
Read more about LRO/LCROSS at:
NASA Ames satellite shoots into space, LCROSS will look for water on the
moon
Posted by: Soderman/NLSI Staff
Source: NASA
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Author/Curator: Greg Schmidt NASA Official: David Morrison Last Updated: November 6, 2009 + Contact NASA + Site Map |
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