Pummelling Snowballs likely source of LCROSS water findings

Where did the Moon water come from? The science data is pointing strongly towards Comets because high level readings of volatiles were recorded during observations of the LCROSS lunar impact. http://bit.ly/8pdouJ

LCROSS team have found the impact plume and imaging shows that it expanded to a diameter of 5 miles over the lunar surface http://bit.ly/3RoVnI

Professor of Geology Peter Schulz a co-investigator for LCROSS mission science data is elated that all the spacecraft's scientific instruments provided loads of interesting data during the precious 4 minutes between the 2 impacts of the Centaur upper stage and sherpherding spaecraft http://bit.ly/3YoJR1

Prepare for Impact! Watch LCROSS briefings, mission updates and launch video

Collection of videos gathered over the last few months for the Lunar Crater Observation Sensing and Satellite (LCROSS) mission including NASA briefings from the mission scientists and engineers, mission progress updates and launch of the LRO/LCROSS from Cape Canaveral on the 18th June 2009. Impact is currently scheduled for 11:31 UTC on Friday 9th Oct 2009.

LCROSS impact preview from The Planetary Society blog including critical mission milestones, links to webcasts and CGI animation charting its course from launch to impact http://bit.ly/X2b92

Eve of silent thud! last 24 hours of LCROSS will involve a critical series of nail-biting flight team operations to ensure precise impact and separation of shepherding spacecraft from the spent Centaur rocket impactor. Everything has to come together without delay since there will only be 4 minutes worth of science data gathering between the two impacts http://bit.ly/4v5NgR

Consequences of Viking not digging 5cm deeper in 1976, science behind lunar surface water discovery and will Messenger hiccup happen again during New Horizons flyby of Pluto http://j.mp/ZqEfy

Watch LCROSS impact live coverage on NASA TV or observe with Telescope in the Pacific region http://bit.ly/35No4

Citizen Science NASA Apps homepage for downloading LCROSS impact images contributed by astronomers http://bit.ly/8mkHD

Moon crash will create six-mile plume of dust as Nasa searches for more signs of water beneath the surface http://bit.ly/njami

LCROSS fate has been decided, NASA AMES pinpoints lunar crater for impact

The Moon crater Cabeus A has been named as the impact site for the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) on the 9th October 2009. The site has been picked because it is optimal for volume and predictability of ejected material, concentration of Neutron emissions (which is an indicator for Hydrogen which increases the likelihood of water molecules) and permanent shading from the Sun.

Scientists explain LRO and LCROSS Lunar mission objectives and instruments

This presentation from the chief scientists working on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) covers the mission objectives of both spacecraft including a guide to the array of sensing instruments and their role during each mission.

LRO will map the topography and surface temperature of the Moon in order to identify regions which are safe for a lunar landing and are of scientific interest.

LCROSS will be a short lived mission in terms of data collection since it sole purpose is to observe a controlled lunar impact by its spent upper stage Centaur rocket prior to its own impact shortly afterward.

In addition to LCROSS other assets will observe the impact of the Centaur rocket and LCROSS itself which will include the Hubble Space Telescope, earthbound telescopes and the LRO.

LRO Video Playlist

LCROSS Video Playlist

Moon Links

STS127 launch scrub may bump LRO and LCROSS launch by 2 weeks

They say lightning never strikes twice but it did today, exactly the same reason for launch scrub as STS119. The reason for the scrub was a leaking H2 gas vent on the outside of the upper portion of the shuttle external fuel tank. Now this has happened on two occasions so close together there will probably be a major review of procedures to prevent this happening again on future launches.

Last time this happened the problem was resolved successfully within the predicted timescale on STS119, so assuming nothing unusual is found after inspection on Sunday the main debate will center around the impact on the LRO/LCROSS mission which was scheduled for launch on 17th June. Due to the number of days required for pre and post launch work by the ground support crews its becomes very difficult to overlap launches at Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center.

With the looming ISS Beta cutout, ISS build/servicing schedule, Soyuz docking, termination of Shuttle program etc... it seems fairly likely that STS-127 will get prioritised and LRO/LCROSS will be bumped by NASA to the next available launch window in 2 weeks, unless they can figure out a way of overlapping launch windows for both STS127 and LRO/LCROSS.

STS127 NASA Briefings

LCROSS mission to discover water on the Moon by impacting the lunar surface

The LCROSS mission will analyze the impact of the spent upper stage Centaur rocket colliding with the Moon. The impact target will be located in the lunar polar region where it is believed water may exist buried beneath the surface of a crater. The discovery of water on the Moon is important to the long term plans for settling humans on the Moon to conduct long term scientific research. LCROSS is scheduled to be launched with LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) on the 17th June from Cape Canaveral

LCROSS Video Playlist