Posted on Jun 23, 2009 02:18:44 PM | _ NASA's New Moon Missions | 8 Comments
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The LCROSS spacecraft has successfully completed its swing-by of the moon and is settling into a normal cruise mode. During the fly-by, LCROSS beamed spectacular first-light images of the moon back to Earth via streaming video.
The maneuver provides LCROSS with a gravity assist to help with cruise orbit. The LCROSS spacecraft will be "up close and personal" again with the moon on Oct. 9 -- the day of impact.
LRO has also met a significant milestone after a four and a half day journey from Earth -- the orbiter is now successfully orbiting the moon. Over the course of the next four days, LRO will perform four engine burns that will put the satellite into its commissioning phase orbit. The commissioning phase is where each of LRO’s seven instruments get checked out and turned on. After commissioning is complete (about 60 days after launch), the spacecraft is expected to be fully operational and the one year exploration phase of the mission will begin.
Both missions are one step closer to exploring our closest celestial neighbor.
Tags : General, LCROSS, LRO, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, gravity assist, moon, moon mission, swing-by
8 comments so far ( Post your own )
- 8
On Oct 10, 2009 01:26:51 PM
Turksquad
wrote:
Great jop wow
- 7 On Jul 08, 2009 12:47:24 AM svmayol wrote:
hi,..
i am planning of creating a paper on remote sensing satellite...but before that im looking for a reference..do you know where can i find a data of the moon by a remote sensing satellite?? or do have one??...that would be of great help..
regards,
sv- 6 On Jun 25, 2009 12:57:26 AM Tony C wrote:
With regards to posting new images, yes we have some at the LCROSS page now (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/main/index.html) and will have new processed (e.g., thermal and visible mosaic) very soon (by next week). Indeed the image posted above is a screen grab and the originals are much clearer. The over exposure is a result of the fact that the visible camera was in an "auto gain" setting and since we were relatively far from the moon (8,000-10,000 km compared to what we will be for impact when we first turn on at 8,000 km and closing fast) the excess black in the frame gave the auto-exposure a hard time.
- 5 On Jun 24, 2009 02:38:29 PM guest wrote:
I looked at Ames, but this is all I saw for images. Maybe there's not anything better available, since it was video?
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/lunarswingby/- 4 On Jun 24, 2009 11:03:41 AM Jim wrote:
The picture you've posted from LCROSS is a screen capture from a terminal window. Isn't there a better source picture to post?
I imagine that the original image was a lot better, just based on how blurry the frame with the words "Visible Light Camera" are. Can't someone at Ames forward you a better image from LCROSS?
Thanks.- 3 On Jun 24, 2009 09:19:30 AM guest wrote:
wow
- 2 On Jun 24, 2009 08:04:39 AM guest wrote:
Why is it taking (relativelaty a log time)for landing an unmanned spacecraft some 40 years after we (USA) landed manned craft there?
Thak you;
Space cadet- 1 On Jun 23, 2009 06:30:27 PM guest wrote:
Yay!
- 7 On Jul 08, 2009 12:47:24 AM svmayol wrote:
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