Slam-Bang Coverage! NASA's LCROSS Moon Crash

by SPACE.com Staff

Date: 01 October 2009 Time: 04:00 PM ET

NASA Takes Aim at Moon with Double Sledgehammer

An artist's depiction of the LCROSS moon-smashing mission as the Shepherding Spacecraft (left) pulls free of the Centaur upper stage impactor.
CREDIT: NASA/Ames

NASA's LCROSS probe and its spent Centaur rocket stage purposely crashed into the large crater Cabeus Friday, Oct. 9, at 7:31 a.m. EDT (1131 GMT) in an effort to kick up lunar dirt to see what's in it. Scientists are hoping to see signs of water.

Below is SPACE.com's complete coverage of the mission and related lunar science news, features and video - all on the heels of the exciting recent announcements that there is water in scant quantities across the lunar surface and tentative new evidence of water ice in shaded lunar craters.

Follow the LCROSS moon crashes as it happened with mission updates from Spaceflight Now.

Friday, Oct. 9

KAPOW! NASA Smacks the Moon in Search for Water Ice
WASHINGTON ? A NASA probe slammed into the moon Friday, blasting out a curtain of debris in which scientists hope to detect signs of water ice.
NASA Probe Spotted Artificial Crater Before Hitting the Moon
A NASA probe that slammed into the moon's south pole Friday managed to spot the artificial crater carved into the pristine lunar terrain minutes earlier by its partner craft, but scientists have not yet confirmed if the two crashes kicked up a giant plume containing any signs of water ice ? a main goal.
For Some, NASA's Moon-Crashing Probes Fizzled
NEW YORK - Some observers hoping for a big blast from NASA's moon-slam experiment Friday were a bit disappointed.

Thursday, Oct. 8

Spacecraft's Lunar Crash Won't Hurt the Moon, NASA Says
The moon is due for a double whammy from two NASA probes Friday, with scientists assuring some skeptics that smacking the lunar surface with spacecraft is really okay.
NASA Set to Dive Bomb the Moon
A NASA spacecraft and its trusty rocket stage are drawing ever closer to the moon to intentionally crash to their doom Friday, all in the name of science.

Wednesday, Oct. 7

Targeting the Moon: Observatories Gear Up for Friday Lunar Crash
Scientists are hoping for a literal slam dunk with NASA's upcoming Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS mission ? an event to be observed by a coordinated network of Earth and space-based equipment.

Tuesday, Oct. 6

How to Watch NASA's Probe Smack the Moon Friday
Get ready for a unique cosmic collision! Early this coming Friday morning (Oct. 9), NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) will end its mission with a bang ? literally.
Controversial New Idea Surfaces on Origin of Moon's Water
Many experts were shocked by the recent discovery of water on the moon, which was long thought to be bone-dry. But not everyone was surprised. A recent study actually predicted the water before it was found, and offers a novel hypothesis for its origin.

Monday, Oct. 5

Our Changing View of the Moon
The moon, so bright and large in the sky compared to other celestial objects, has captured the attention of humans at least since the dawn of consciousness. Over these eras, mankind's view of the moon has evolved, from the more mystical image of it as a god, to the thought it was covered in seas and vegetation. Most recently, it's been viewed as a dry and dusty wasteland.