LCROSS spotted Centaur impact
Posted: Sat, Oct 17, 2009, 11:33 AM ET (1533 GMT)
Officials with NASA's LCROSS mission said Friday that the spacecraft did detect the impact of its Centaur upper stage with the Moon and observe its plume before hitting the Moon itself. Images released by NASA on Friday showed a faint plume kicked up by the Centaur upper stage when it impacted in the Moon's Cabeus crater a few minutes ahead of LCROSS. The plume brightness is at the low end of predictions, scientists said, which may provide clues about the composition of the region struck by the Centaur. NASA had hopes that the impacts would generate a large plume that would easily be observed by groundbased telescopes, but the October 9 impacts failed to match expectations.
Officials with NASA's LCROSS mission said Friday that the spacecraft did detect the impact of its Centaur upper stage with the Moon and observe its plume before hitting the Moon itself. Images released by NASA on Friday showed a faint plume kicked up by the Centaur upper stage when it impacted in the Moon's Cabeus crater a few minutes ahead of LCROSS. The plume brightness is at the low end of predictions, scientists said, which may provide clues about the composition of the region struck by the Centaur. NASA had hopes that the impacts would generate a large plume that would easily be observed by groundbased telescopes, but the October 9 impacts failed to match expectations. | <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, January 26
Rheinmetall and OHB in talks over Starlink-style service for German army
Financial Times — 5:19 am ET (1019 GMT) Colorado Springs must reject political games over Space Command
Colorado Springs Gazette — 5:19 am ET (1019 GMT) Blue Origin wastewater permit public meeting coming up Friday at UF/IFAS building
Florida Today — 5:16 am ET (1016 GMT) Central Coast Residents Greeted with Aggressive Boom from SpaceX Launch Sunday Morning
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 5:12 am ET (1012 GMT) SpaceX Rocket Carries Starlink Satellites Into Orbit from Vandenberg
Noozhawk — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) |
