Two lunar spacecraft,
LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter 環月偵察衛星)
LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite 月坑觀測與傳感衛星),
are on the launch pad now. Scheduled to launch June 17.
Mission of LRO - To conduct investigations that will prepare and support future human exploration to the Moon. The on-board camera is said to resolve as small as 50 cm object on the lunar surface ! Click on "Safety Landing" video. http://lunar.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Mission of LCROSS：
To confirm the presence or absence of water ice in a permanently shadowed crater at the Moon’s South Pole. http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/
Stay tuned if you are a Moon student.
AC
ps Amateurs can take the best chance tonight or tomorrow to glimpse the lunar north pole with very high magnification telescope (e.g. 8-inch at 300X or above), when the Moon has its most favorable libration on the north polar region.
發表於 2009-6-6 13:06:22