[X] My Assistant

[Guest_PhilCo126_*]

NASA taps (amateur) Astronomy community to help search for lunar water

Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite
LCROSS (Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite) is scheduled to launch with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter,
known as LRO, aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in late 2008. After launch, the LCROSS shepherding spacecraft and the
Atlas V's Centaur upper stage rocket will fly by the moon and enter an elongated Earth orbit to position themselves for a rapid descent
into a permanently shadowed crater near the moon's south pole.
On final approach, the instrument-laden spacecraft and the upper stage will separate. They will hit the lunar surface about four
minutes apart. The spacecraft will fly through the Centaur debris plume and collect data before its own impact. The LCROSS impacts are
expected to be visible from Earth using 10-to-12 inch and larger telescopes.

http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/

[djellison]

Actually LCROSS does take a long route. It's a couple of months longer than LRO, involving Lunar flybys to target for the south pole.

Doug