The Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) impacted the Moon as planned on 7:31 a.m. (EDT) Oct. 9
The LCROSS experiment consisted of small spacecraft that guided the empty Centaur upper stage from the LRO/LCROSS Atlas 5 launch vehicle into the Moon. The small trailing spacecraft had a set of instruments that photographed and measured the spectral signature of the dust kicked up by the Centaur impact. Numerous Earth-based telescopes attempted to measure the spectral signature of the impact. Results of the experiment should be available over the next few weeks as data are analyzed.
Published by Mark Robinson on 10 October 2009