Kaguya impacts lunar surface
Posted: Thu, Jun 11, 2009, 7:42 AM ET (1142 GMT)
A Japanese spacecraft completed its mission Wednesday by crashing to the lunar surface. The Japanese space agency JAXA confirmed that the Kaguya spacecraft hit the lunar surface at 2:25 pm EDT (1825 GMT) Wednesday in the Moon's southern hemisphere. The impact point was in darkness, and a flash apparently caused by the impact was observed by at least one telescope on Earth. The orbiter, launched in September 2007, had been gradually lowering its orbit in recent months in preparation for the impact. The impact comes just a week before the launch of another Moon mission, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. A second spacecraft on that launch, LCROSS, will observe the impact of the rocket's upper stage on the Moon before colliding with the Moon itself.
A Japanese spacecraft completed its mission Wednesday by crashing to the lunar surface. The Japanese space agency JAXA confirmed that the Kaguya spacecraft hit the lunar surface at 2:25 pm EDT (1825 GMT) Wednesday in the Moon's southern hemisphere. The impact point was in darkness, and a flash apparently caused by the impact was observed by at least one telescope on Earth. The orbiter, launched in September 2007, had been gradually lowering its orbit in recent months in preparation for the impact. The impact comes just a week before the launch of another Moon mission, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. A second spacecraft on that launch, LCROSS, will observe the impact of the rocket's upper stage on the Moon before colliding with the Moon itself.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, August 24
What’s in Thailand’s New Military Space Center Launch?
The Diplomat — 7:59 am ET (1159 GMT) SpaceX customer iSpace updates Falcon 9-launched Moon lander, rover plans
Teslarati — 7:59 am ET (1159 GMT) NASA’s Jim Bridenstine Visits University Of Colorado’s ‘Eye Opening’ Aerospace Building
CBS Denver — 7:58 am ET (1158 GMT) Space fever
The Hindu — 7:58 am ET (1158 GMT) Weather Talk: Renewed interest in space travel is good for science
Fargo (ND) Forum — 7:57 am ET (1157 GMT) |
