Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) Mission: Opportunities for Observations of the Impact Plumes from Ground-based and Space-based Telescopes

Details Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) Mission: Opportunities for Observations of the Impact Plumes from Ground-based and Space-based Telescopes Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) Mission: Opportunities for Observations of the Impact Plumes from Ground-based and Space-based Telescopes

Sep 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008dps....40.1303h&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #40, #13.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 40, p.406

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

The primary objective of LCROSS is to confirm the presence or absence of water ice on the Moon. The mission, which is launching with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, will use the Centaur upper stage of the launch vehicle as a kinetic impactor. The impact creates an ejecta plume whose properties, including water ice and vapor content, will be observed a shepherding spacecraft (S-S/C) plus Earth- and space- based telescopes. Following a similar trajectory of the Centaur, the S-S/C will fly through the impact plume and then the S-S/C will also impact the Moon. The S-S/C impact will likely also be observable to ground-based and space-based telescopes.
To aid in the formulation of the LCROSS mission and measurement design, a compilation of model results has been built which summarizes the current best estimate for the impact event. This summary, called the Current Best Estimate Impact Model (CBEIM), includes both high and low values for a variety of relevant physical quantities including crater dimensions and ejecta velocities.
There are a variety of ground-based and orbital observatories that can observe the dust and water plumes caused by the LCROSS impacts. The LCROSS team encourages astronomers and planetary scientists to observe the impacts to support the scientific and exploration objectives of this mission. The LCROSS project is committed to working with the observational scientists to provide mission information that is critical to the planning and proposal of observations. In this way the LCROSS project aims to develop a coordinated observation campaign utilizing ground-based and space-based observational assets.

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