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LCROSS Moon Mission Is a Big Hit — or Two
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by Jeanette Leardi | The Current Events
On October 9th, two U.S. space probes will crash into the moon’s surface. A terrible disaster? Hardly. In fact, it will be exactly what NASA scientists planned. They hope the crashes will answer an important question: Is there water on the moon?
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On a Crash Course
In the 1990s, lunar probe pictures seemed to show ice at the moon’s south pole. NASA scientists decided it was time to take a closer look. On June 18th, 2009, NASA launched an Atlas V rocket carrying the LCROSS spacecraft. LCROSS stands for “Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite.” It consists of two parts: a main satellite and a rocket named Centaur (say: SEN tore).
Five days after launch, LCROSS separated from the Atlas rocket. On October 9th, Centaur will also split off from the main LCROSS satellite. About seven hours later, around 7:30 a.m. EDT, Centaur will strike the moon’s south pole. It will hit the surface at 5,600 miles per hour!
The crash will create a crater about 15 feet deep. Centaur’s impact will be like dropping a huge stone into a large pile of flour. The crash will create a debris plume (say: de-BREE ploom) of 350 tons of dirt, dust, and rocks. The debris plume will be about four miles high! LCROSS will follow Centaur’s path. It will travel through the tons of rock and dirt. Special cameras and other instruments on LCROSS will study the material. Will LCROSS find water? What else might it find? After four minutes, LCROSS will crash into the moon, too. And it will create another huge debris plume.
Why Look for Water on the Moon?
Why look for water on the moon at all? All living things need water to drink. Suppose water were found at the moon’s south pole. That would mean people might be able to live there some day. They might also be able to launch missions to Mars from a base on the moon.
A Sight to See
Scientists around the world will be viewing the plumes through powerful telescopes. People who live west of the Mississippi River might be able to see the plumes, too. But they will need tele¬scopes that are at least 10 inches wide. To follow the action by Web Cam, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/main/index.html. You won’t want to miss these hits!
Would You Want to Work at NASA?
What is it like to work at NASA? The Current Events wanted the inside story. So we asked LCROSS Project Manager Daniel Andrews.
According to Andrews, the best thing about working at NASA is that “You get to work on things that most people never have the chance to.” It is hard work, he says, “be¬cause you really only get one chance to get [things] right … You usually can’t go back and fix [them].”
Would you like to work at NASA? If so, you will need to be very good at math. You should also want to learn and do new things. “Be adventurous,” says Andrews. “When I was growing up, I would take things apart to un¬derstand why they were put together that way. Of course, only do this with your parents’ permission, but it is a great way to understand how things work. You can also do little ex¬periments. What interesting things can you find in nature, in a creek, in the woods, in your backyard? Adventuring like this teaches you how to think and consider — very good skills to have to work at NASA.”
probes > unmanned craft that are used to explore outer space
launched > sent off to begin a journey
EDT > Eastern Daylight Time
crater > bowl-shaped landform
impact > crash
debris plume > tall cloud of dust, dirt, and rock
Review Questions
1. What question does NASA hope the LCROSS mission will answer?
2. What are two things that will happen after Centaur splits off from LCROSS?
3. Why is Centaur’s impact on the moon compared to a huge stone dropping into a large pile of flour?
4. The author states, “Will LCROSS find water? What else might it find?” What do you think it might find?
5. How does technology help scientists answer important questions and solve problems?
kimtaylor
24 days ago
268 comments
Lots of really valuable data that will likely have a profound impact on the direction NASA’s lunar program will take, all for a relatively low cost! Good Job NASA geeks! Let’s get up there and find that obelisk!
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