Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Jul 12, 2009 6:03:18 GMT -6
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
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Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite
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Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite
I have been waiting for this mission for a very long time. It's been decades since the last lunar manned mission and not a single contemporary image has been captured since. The Hubble Telescope, Clementine & the S.M.A.R.T missions did not provide photographic imaging of the Apollo landing sites, (or even the Saturn IV Upper Stage boosters or the ascent stage of the L.E.Ms that crashed back on the surface), but the LRO has the resolution ability...and hopefully will.
The specs say that the final resolution of the imager will be...
....18 inches!!!
Just under two feet - Incredible!
At that scale, all the equipment left behind will be there in all glory...maybe even - dare I say it...the American flags?
I think they have already captured the Aplollo pics...and will unveil the grand image on the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Apollo 11 landing.
I hope so!
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But, here are the specs on the missions -
Both the LRO & LCROSS spacecrafts were launched together on June 18, 2009 - on top of a Atlas V booster Rocket. The LRO payload separating an hour after launch - heading directly toward the Moon....taking four days to make the trip. And the LCROSS payload in long looping orbits around the Earth & Moon until October.
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Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) -
The primary mission of the LRO is to map the surface of the Moon for future American Manned Lunar landings via the Aries program. The LRO will spend about one year mapping the Moon in very High Definition in a 30 mile high orbit.
The LRO payload, is comprised of six instruments and one technology demonstration, and will provide key data to enable a human return to the Moon.
Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation
The Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) will characterize the lunar radiation environment and determine its potential biological impacts. CRaTER will also test models of radiation effects and shielding, which may enable the development of protective technologies.
Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment
The Diviner Lunar Radiometer (DLRE) will provide orbital thermal mapping measurements, giving detailed information about surface and subsurface temperatures (identifying cold traps and potential ice deposits), as well as landing hazards such as rough terrain or rocks.
Lyman Alpha Mapping Project
The Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) will map the entire lunar surface in the far ultraviolet. LAMP will search for surface ice and frost in the polar regions and provide images of permanently shadowed regions illuminated only by starlight.
Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector
The Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) will create high resolution hydrogen distribution maps and provide information about the lunar radiation environment. LEND can be used to search for evidence of water ice on the Moon's surface, and will provide space radiation environment measurements useful for future human exploration.
Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter
The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) will measure landing site slopes, lunar surface roughness, and generate a high resolution 3D map of the Moon. LOLA will also identify the Moon's permanently illuminated and permanently shadowed areas by analyzing Lunar surface elevations.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) will retrieve high resolution black and white images of the lunar surface, capturing images of the lunar poles with resolutions down to 1m, and will image the lunar surface in color and ultraviolet. These images will provide knowledge of polar illumination conditions, identify potential resources & hazards, and enable safe landing site selection.
Mini-RF Technology Demonstration
The Mini-RF technology demonstration's primary goal will be to search for subsurface water ice deposits. In addition, Mini-RF will take high-resolution imagery of permanently-shadowed regions.
More on the LRO at the official NASA site:
lro.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html
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Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) -
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The LCROSS primary mission is to seek out water or hydrogen around the south pole of the Moon. Hidden away in perputul darkened areas of craters where water ice may have formed, (and out of the heat of the sun), stay solid. And it will do this by sheer brute force via sending a Centaur booster rocket into the surface of the Moon - with the LCROSS probe watching & sniffing for water and other elements from the ejecta produced. But soon after...the LCROSS probe will also crash on the Moon as well...sending back valuable data right up to the point of impact.
The Centaur upper stage and LCROSS spacecraft will not vaporize or disintegrate during impact, but will mostly crumple and break apart. Most of the material will be warmed to several hundred degrees just through the compaction process during impact. Any unspent rocket fuel (primarily hydrazine) will most likely “flash”, or burn, at impact.
- The date of scheduled lunar impact is: October 9, 2009 at 6:30pm (Chicago time)
The final site selection will be made 30 days prior to impact.
The final site selection will be made 30 days prior to impact.
Astronomers will be on the look out for the ejecta created by the impacts, and the "explosion" might even be observed by amateur astronomers.
More on the LCROSS on the Official NASA site:
lcross.arc.nasa.gov/index.htm
Data & image source: NASA
