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Science NASA Probes Enter Moon's Orbit
Michael Barkoviak - June 23, 2009 12:45 PM
Print 25 comment(s) - last by Shadrack2.. on Jun 25 at 8:05 AM
NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter enters moon's orbit

After about five days of travel following a succesful launch from Earth, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has entered the moon's orbit, NASA announced in a press release.

The LRO entered the moon's orbit at 6:27 a.m. EST, and will help researchers study the moon's surface by creating high-resolution, three-dimensional maps.  

Shortly after the LRO entered the moon's orbit, a second NASA probe, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Spacecraft (LCROSS) also entered the moon's orbit, streaming live video for about an hour as it entered a different orbit than LRO.

Both NASA probes launched on June 18 aboard an Atlas V rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

"Lunar orbit insertion is a crucial milestone for the mission," LRO project manager Cathy Peddie said in a statement.  "The LRO mission cannot begin until the moon captures us. Once we enter the moon's orbit, we can begin to buildup the dataset needed to understand in greater detail the lunar topography, features and resources. We are so proud to be a part of this exciting mission and NASA's planned return to the moon."

NASA plans to compile day-night temperature maps, study the moon's polar areas, examine deep craters, and hopefully allow NASA researchers to learn more about lunar radiation on humans.  LCROSS will crash land into the moon's surface on Oct. 9 to hopefully uncover any solid signs of water ice in the south pole.

All information collected by the LRO will be used for possible manned missions or even a lunar outpost that NASA is interested in creating.

Even though there has been a greater emphasis on Mars research, NASA and several other space nations plan to launch manned missions to the moon by 2020 to 2025.  Although the United States is the only country to successfully reach the moon, it's likely China will be the first nation to accomplish a return to the moon, at least one NASA administrator and several space experts believe.

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Confirmation
By TheNuts on 6/23/2009 1:37:03 PM , Rating: 5
The probe has confirmed...yes, the moon is still there ans still not made out of cheese




RE: Confirmation
By Proxes on 6/23/2009 1:50:53 PM , Rating: 4
But did it find the man?


RE: Confirmation
By TheNuts on 6/23/2009 1:59:12 PM , Rating: 3
Another probe must be launched to determine that


RE: Confirmation
By SublimeSimplicity on 6/23/2009 2:14:28 PM , Rating: 2
It might be cheaper to send the cow to jump over it.


RE: Confirmation
By mikefarinha on 6/23/2009 2:24:37 PM , Rating: 2
It may be cheaper but if the cow accidentally farts it may cause Lunar Warming... This could cause the moon to mold.


RE: Confirmation
By Souka on 6/23/2009 2:36:03 PM , Rating: 2
So the moon would become blue-cheese then?


RE: Confirmation
By Flail on 6/23/2009 5:49:27 PM , Rating: 2
No, unfortunately it would become the less delicious moo-cheese.


RE: Confirmation
By Flail on 6/24/2009 7:10:18 AM , Rating: 2
One cheesy joke after another.


It was a good run...
By JasonMick (blog) on 6/23/2009 12:56:02 PM , Rating: 1
But it looks like when the LCROSS crashes we can't poke fun at India any more for crashing their probe into the moon.

(Sarcasm disclaimer: There actually have been several probes launched by the U.S. and others with the intent of impacting the moon -- we were first with the Luna 2 impactor!)




RE: It was a good run...
By thekdub on 6/23/2009 2:07:27 PM , Rating: 2
Luna 2 was actually launched by the Soviet Union, not the United States...


RE: It was a good run...
By ClownPuncher on 6/23/2009 2:18:24 PM , Rating: 2
You're thinking Ranger 6-9.


RE: It was a good run...
By JasonMick (blog) on 6/23/2009 2:36:14 PM , Rating: 2
Doh! Yep, you're right. The soviets beat us to it. Sorry for the mistake. Ranger was U.S. and the Luna probes were from the USSR. *Drinks more coffee*


Lunar Probes in Orbit....
By Integral9 on 6/23/2009 2:50:07 PM , Rating: 2
= Dingle Berries? :p




RE: Lunar Probes in Orbit....
By rudolphna on 6/23/2009 4:20:23 PM , Rating: 2
No, its a Drawn reciprocating dingle-ARM with sinusoidal repleration, and its mounted on a baseplate of preframulated amulite.


RE: Lunar Probes in Orbit....
By stirfry213 on 6/24/2009 12:52:36 PM , Rating: 2
You mean this thing is powered by the age old Turboencabulator?

Who would have thought...


<no subject>
By Scabies on 6/23/2009 1:06:48 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
streaming live video for about an hour as it entered a different orbit than LRO.


"We will not support the next generation of NASA extraterrestrial vehicles if they do not have YouTube uploading capability."
-Joe Schmoe, Obama Administration




RE: <no subject>
By kattanna on 6/23/2009 1:30:20 PM , Rating: 2
could be worse.. they could have set it up to twitter


LCROSS is NOT in lunar orbit!
By kaborka on 6/23/2009 1:50:53 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
Shortly after the LRO entered the moon's orbit, a second NASA probe, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Spacecraft (LCROSS) also entered the moon's orbit, streaming live video for about an hour as it entered a different orbit than LRO.

LCROSS is in a "Lunar Gravity Assist Lunar Return Orbit" (LGALRO):
quote:
Using the gravity of the Moon and Earth, the spacecraft will slingshot into an LGALRO orbit. This orbit is needed because it is faster and higher energy than the one used by the Apollo crews. This orbit uses less fuel and is a highly elliptical orbit going around both the Earth and the Moon. After 98 days, the spacecraft will have a high energy impact almost perpendicular to the lunar surface. This angle allows lots of Moon dust to fly everywhere.

Source (e.g.)
http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lcross3/prelim/ro...




Probes Why ?
By PoohPall on 6/24/2009 4:10:56 AM , Rating: 2
NASA should stop farting around.

There is enough info to build a viable moon base.

Perhaps the moon can become the new Alcatraz ;-)




RE: Probes Why ?
By martinrichards23 on 6/24/2009 8:22:41 AM , Rating: 2
If its so easy why don't you go and build one yourself!!

;-)


minor correction.....
By technoarch on 6/23/2009 12:55:15 PM , Rating: 2
Its....Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite

not crather :)




Hollywood
By danrien on 6/23/09, Rating: -1
RE: Hollywood
By Belard on 6/23/2009 3:56:38 PM , Rating: 2
Next thing we know, people will be able to make phone calls from almost anywhere and watch porn anywhere as well.


RE: Hollywood
By TSS on 6/23/2009 6:12:45 PM , Rating: 2
with so many people still thinking like that yes it's a miracle we ever made it at all.


RE: Hollywood
By Shadrack2 on 6/25/2009 8:05:24 AM , Rating: 1
"So, I think the same thing of the music industry. They can't say that they're losing money, you know what I'm saying. They just probably don't have the same surplus that they had." -- Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA











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