NASA space rockets about to smash into the moon
October 9, 2009
As professional and amateur astronomers around the world turn their gaze to the moon scientists say that the best place to see NASA’s rocket as it crashes into the moon will be on the internet. Two rockets are presently on a collision course with the moon as part of an experiment to determine if water does exist on the earth’s largest satellite.
Travelling at twice the speed of a bullet is a 2.2 tonne empty rocket aimed at the moon crater Cabeus. It is hoped that the rocket will smash into the crater kicking up a plume of debris six miles into space. Following the rocket is LCROSS, or Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite. LCROSS is itself doomed to the fate of its partner but scientists are hoping that before it plunges into the moons surface it will send back images of the first impact. These images should tell us whether or not water exists on the moon.
Observatories around the world will be focused on the event and an LCROSS scientist says that what can be expected is a small shimmer of light. The two space craft were sent up in June and have just separated as part of the final stages of the mission.
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