LCROSS passes final test before trip to Moon

William Atkins
Friday, 27 June 2008 03:53

Science - Space

NASA is estimating that the Centaur impact with the Moon will eject about 220 tons of lunar material off the Moon’s surface.

After analyzing the ejecta particles for about four minutes with a series of six instruments the LCROSS will also crash onto the Moon. It will, instead, crash into another part of the same crater. And like the first crash, this second one will create another debris plume.
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Scientists on Earth will observe both debris plumes from Earth-based observatories and (possibly) from orbital spacecraft.

These observations by scientists will hopefully provide spectral analysis of the impact plumes, which will help to confirm preliminary data by the earlier Clementine and Lunar Prospector missions.

Both spacecraft sent back data that indicates water ice may be found in the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar surface.

NASA indicates that the Centaur impact plume may be visible on Earth by observers using amateur telescopes with apertures as small as 10 to 12 inches.