Spacecraft to Slam into the Moon

[Krell]

Scientists are plotting out a “crash course” in learning what happens when a European lunar probe slams into the Moon.

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) SMART-1 spacecraft—now circling the Moon—is headed for a planned early September impact with Earth’s celestial neighbor.

The ESA probe would plow into the lunar surface, giving it a glancing blow as it speeds in at nearly 5,000 miles per hour (2 kilometers per second).

SMART-1 is Europe’s first robotic lunar mission. The name SMART stands for Small Mission for Advanced Research in Technology

The spacecraft was launched on September 27, 2003. Making use of its ion-propulsion engine to slowly nudge it outward from Earth, the probe powered its way into lunar orbit on November 15, 2004.

Outfitted with miniaturized instruments, SMART-1’s goal has been to gauge key chemical elements in the lunar surface, as well as look into the theory that the Moon was formed following the violent collision of a smaller planet with Earth long ago.


ESA’s lunar probe completes a loop around the Moon every five hours—but that’s about to end later this year.

Rehearsal mode

Engineers and scientists are now targeting SMART-1 for possible impact on the Moon around September 1-2. The current uncertainty range for the exact time of impact is 15 hours.


At the end of June, SMART-1 is slated to carry out two maneuvers. These will fine-tune the exact time of impact. Those slight thrust firings will lead to the spacecraft flying over the Moon at its lowest point at below186 miles (300 kilometers) in altitude.

In early July, the plan calls for assessing the success of the maneuver and determining the spacecraft’s orbit and expected impact time. Later that month, the probe will zip as close as 124 miles (200 kilometers) from the barren lunar landscape.

In early August, SMART-1 will make an overflight of its eventual impact site, racing over that area at just 75 miles (120 kilometers) height in what’s termed as “rehearsal” mode for the early September run-in with the Moon.

According to Bernard Foing, ESA SMART-1 project scientist, an inventory is being made of the composition and mechanical properties of the spacecraft—including aluminum, copper, titanium, and other materials, as well as the probe’s remaining hydrazine fuel.

That data will be used to support observations of what is kicked up from the Moon itself on impact, contrasted to bits, pieces, and fuel tossed into the mix due to SMART-1’s high-speed slap.

Boom and bust finale

Here on Earth, sky watchers worldwide are getting ready for the projected September 1-2 lunar boom and bust finale of SMART-1.

Foing told SPACE.com that he is now engaged in assembling a “coordinated campaign” of ground-based observations. This activity would support SMART-1 measurements and monitor the artificial crash that mimics in a small way, an asteroid or comet hit on the Moon.

Numbers of observatories around the world have indicated interest in watching the outcome from SMART-1’s collision with the Moon, Foing has reported.


At impact, the ESA spacecraft will weigh a little over 628 pounds (285 kilograms), punching the Moon at a grazing incidence near 37 degrees south latitude. The near-side impact is timed so that it will be illuminated to assist in observations from Earth.

A current orbit simulation of the SMART-1 impact for September 2 is at lunar longitude 44.54 degrees West and 36.22 South in Lacus Excellentiae, 10 degrees south of Mare Humorum. A far more refined target point will come as the event draws closer.

Crater-making crash

Back on July 31, 1999, the Moon was on the receiving end of NASA’s Lunar Prospector.

That farewell fall of space hardware struck within a crater near the lunar south pole—in an attempt to detect water ice stirred up by the wallop. No visible debris plume was reported.

According to Foing, the hope is that those Earth-based observers intending to take part in September’s thump of the Moon can make pre-hit predictions of SMART-1’s impact magnitude, cloud ejecta dynamics, exospheric effects and other observable manifestations brought about by the crash.

Coordinated measurements by observers here on Earth are high on the priority list, Foing noted. Impact observations would include: Infrared imaging of thermal flash; visible/infrared imaging of ejected clouds; hydrazine flame detection; post-characterization of ejecta; as well as exospheric effects if lunar material is blasted high off the Moon’s surface.

In addition, Foing said, there is also intent to conduct follow up searches for the crater produced by SMART-1’s crash into the Moon via the sensor eyes of future, follow-on lunar orbiters.



http://www.space.com/missionlaunches...art1_moon.html




.

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

But if they do that, they'll knock it out of orbit!

[Krell]

This is the most fucked up plan I've ever heard of (besides zero paid)


Since when is it a good idea to liter the MOON ?

I can see sending stuff toward the sun, but adding to the already appalling amount of debris left on the moon is morally reprehensible, ecologically irresponsible and socially immature.


.

[Psilaxs]

This is the most fucked up plan I've ever heard of (besides zero paid)


Since when is it a good idea to liter the MOON ?

I can see sending stuff toward the sun, but adding to the already appalling amount of debris left on the moon is morally reprehensible, ecologically irresponsible and socially immature.


.

This is HORRIBLE. On top of all our environmental problems, we now have Lunar Warming to worry about.

[shawners]

The labled the rocket as SMART. Space programs are a waste of time, money, natural resources and the people who think up shit could be spent inventing things that will benifit us on earth.. Maybe I like to pee in vacum suction... Maybe I like to throw a little packet of meatloaf in the microwave and in a minute eat it out of the bag.. Or possibly like to have my jeep have two rockets attached and at high speeds, fall off.

[cjules13]

The labled the rocket as SMART. Space programs are a waste of time, money, natural resources and the people who think up shit could be spent inventing things that will benifit us on earth.. Maybe I like to pee in vacum suction... Maybe I like to throw a little packet of meatloaf in the microwave and in a minute eat it out of the bag.. Or possibly like to have my jeep have two rockets attached and at high speeds, fall off.

I feel like your record is still skipping for the last 3 years shawners. Yes, we all know you don't understand the virtue of human exploration and expansion of knowledge. You can go back and rewatch King Kong as many times as you like, this won't get in the way of that.

God forbid we actaully learn more about this universe we live in... wait a minute, I think that might be your point. God forbid....:icon_pira

[cjules13]

This is the most fucked up plan I've ever heard of (besides zero paid)


Since when is it a good idea to liter the MOON ?

I can see sending stuff toward the sun, but adding to the already appalling amount of debris left on the moon is morally reprehensible, ecologically irresponsible and socially immature.


.

There more litter on the one block I live in than on all of the moon. Maybe you're kidding...

If the spacecraft has already outlived it's life, why not gain a little more knowledge with it by using it for one last experiment. You saw why they crashed the last one in the moon to gather data about the debris in the pole area where no craft has landed before....

[Krell]

How long will it take before the lunar surface looks like the trailer park where Randy Quaid's character from "Vacation" lives?

I can just picture him, with his shuttle up on cinder blocks, standing there in his suit covered in a bathrobe among yards of strewn beer cans . . .


We ruin everything







.

[cjules13]

c'mon man... when we really care and "set up shop" on the moon, first of all any Apollo garbage will remain as a "Moon Monument" and the rest could be scooped up with a front-end loader before lunch.

We ARE getting scientific data out of these collisions you know.

[Krell]

yeah, i know



start scoopin



.

[Christoph]

mhhh...
Im more interessted in the Planet Jupiter.... did you know that this planet got a new Spot ?

[mfgbypooter]

start scoopin.

Just wait til they find out moondust makes a great kitty litter.

*

[que-em]

You know science is on a decline when mofos start slammin into sh*t....LOL. That's the caveman method I use when I can't get something to work.

[Nogoodpunk42]

All I can say is, "They spend how much on education?"

[shawners]

c'mon man... when we really care and "set up shop" on the moon, first of all any Apollo garbage will remain as a "Moon Monument" and the rest could be scooped up with a front-end loader before lunch.

We ARE getting scientific data out of these collisions you know.

Let a gay man collide into your ass and see what scientific data we get out of that. Billions of dollars spent and we just love to crash it.
http://www.federalbudget.com/