LRO Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission.

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

LRO/LCROSS is now scheduled for launch at 5:12 PM EDT tomorrow Thursday June 18th. Additial launch opps are at 5:22 and 5:32.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Because of some weired things with how IE8 works with SDC, I'm going to do the scribblenotes as a series of shorter posts. It's quicker.

Mission outline.

Atlas first stage lasts 232 seconds.

Less that one orbit later, the Centaur ignites for the lunar burn. It takes about 4 1/2 days to reach the moon.

LRO is than placed in a 216 x 60 km comissioning orbit for 60 days, after that it is lowered into a 50 km circular science orbit and the fun starts. It is a polar orbit, so passes over one pole every hour, it's a 2 hour orbit. The moon spins beneath it during it's monthly rotation, so every two weeks the entire surface will have some coverage.

Meanwhil, LCROSS and the attached Centaur passes the moon and is placed in a long looping orbit that arrives back at the south pole of the moon on October 9th.

End Part 1

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

The LRO Primary Science Mission lasts one year in that 50 km polar orbit. During that time it will cover the surface of the moon 26 times. The primary mission is focused on finding and collecting data on sites for future human manned exploration. Plenty of science will be collected as well, but the first year is dedicated to that purpose. The extended mission beyond year 1 will be focused more on scientific observations.

There are 7 instruments on LRO, here's the list and a brief description.

CRaTER -A radiation sensor to examine the environment for radiation fluxes and hazards. It is the only direct measurement device, all the rest are remote sensors.

Diviner- Infrared Radiometer; to collect temperature measurements of the lunar surface

LOLA- Laser Altimeter. It will send laser light to the surface 28 times a second for the life of the mission to get detailed topography of the lunar surface.

LROC- The visible wavelength cameras. There is a wide angle camera (~100 meter resolution) and a Narrow Angle Camera (~ 50 cm, 1 1/2 foot, resolution).

LAMP- UV Spectrometer- will look for water frost and mineral composition of the lunar surface.

LEND- Neutron Detector- to examine the Hydrogen and other composition of the surface

Mini RF- a technology test, it is an advanced Synthetic Apeture Radar.

 

[bobble_bob]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

What time does mission coverage start tomorrow?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

2 PM EDT, 1600 UTC/GMT

 

[bobble_bob]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Thanks

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

OK, now the LCROSS part of the mission.

After pushing LRO to the moon, LCROSS and the Centaur booster go on their own way together. The vents are opened on the booster so the tanks are completely drained of LH2 and LOX..

About 4 hours after launch, control is turned over to the LCROSS spaceraft which does all the steering after that.

Hydrogen was discovered at the lunar poles at low resolution with the 1998 Lunar Prospecter mission and Clemntime, but it is not known what form it is in. LCROSS is designed to sample the interior of a carter which is always around -200C.

Basically, the Centaur booster is used as a 2300 kg impactor hitting the surface at 9000 kph, while LCROSS trails 600 miles (4 minutes) behind also traveling at 2.5 kps. The impact of the Centaur into a crater should eject the material from inside, then LCROSS will fly through the debris before it impacts as well.

Everything is real time (and in fact the images from LCROSS will be streamed live on the web!) since the craft will be destroyed.

This will occur on October 9th. It will be observed by observatories an Hawaii, the US west coast, the HST, LRO, and other lunar spacecraft with a wide set of instruments.

It carries the following suite of instruments.

A near infrared spectrometer (actually 2, one looking at the sun, 1 at the impact)

A UV/Visible spectrometer.

2 other IR cameras.

A 3 color visible light camera (that's what will be streamed)

A total luminance photometer (to measure the impact flash)

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Thank you very much Wayne.

This is a fantastic mission, can't wait for it to start!!!!!

Launch preparations are proceeding smoothly & it looks like it will proceed as planned today.

Fantastic shots of the Atlas 5 here being rolled out.

A few shots show Space Shuttle Endeavour on the Pad 39A in the background awaiting to launch on STS 127. Fantastic shots indeed.

I am off out shortly, but should be back in time for the launch. Unfortunately NASA TV chucks me out (software glitch AGAIN), so hopefully it will be covered on BBC News 24 here in the UK & I will be following on Spaceflightnow.com also.

Will be back later.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Andrew, there is a youtube link on the NASA TV page (lower left) maybe that will work better for you?

OK, more about LRO. Due to the high bandwith of the NAC (Narrow Angle Camera) and the vast amoununt of other data from the entire instrument set, only about 50 targets will be imaged at the highest resolution during the first year. I haven't found a complete list, but here are 6 from Nature magazine:

Ina D-caldera: In 2006 scientists claimed that gases actively vent from this enigmatic site.

Gruithuisen domes: possibly silica rich volcanoes that resulted in domes, unlike the smooth, pool like maria.

Rimae Prinz: A possible hollow lava tube could offer radiation protection for an outpost.

Apollo 15 site: A chance of observe space weathering of astronaut tracks' (rover tracks?-MW)

Alphonsus crater: Depoists from a pyroclastic vent from a "fire fountain" volcano

Sulpicius Gallus: Strange dark materials could provide a deep window into direct sampling of the moon's mantle.

Wayne

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Thank you very much Wayne.

I will try the YouTube link. Hopefully it will work.

I love the list of the initial six of the priority targets picked for the LROC NAC. They would be among my own choices.

I had heard of the Ina D caldera purported venting before (being a volcano head, no surprise there then), but was not aware that active venting there had been taken that seriously to be followed up.

Hope a high res mug shot will be taken of the floor of the far side the Tsiolkovsky Crater, a great example of far side lunar volcanic flooding. Mind you I could come up with a huge list.

I suspect the Apollo 15 site is to monitor ROVER tracks, though the re-examination of the disturbed regolith around the Falcon descent stage, due to activities, close to the lander Falcon of the late James Irwin & Dave Scott would also be interesting.

I'm off out soon, but will be back, hopefully in good time.

Andrew Brown.

 

[bobble_bob]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

So if we can photograph the Apollo landing site, will this shut up the people still claiming we never landed on the moon? *

*I suspect not as they will claim the pics are faked

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Liquid Oxygen Flowing into Centaur
Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:12:14 PM EDT


Tanking preparations are complete and the team is monitoring the flow of liquid oxygen into the Centaur upper stage. The oxygen that is not used by the engine during launch will be vented into space before the Centaur collides with the moon. That also goes for the hydrogen fuel the Centaur uses.

The launch team is not working any technical issues now and the weather forecast remains 60 percent favorable for liftoff.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Well everything's great except for weather problems....Thunderstorm a bit too close.

Hopefully it will clear the area before the last attempt at 5:32 PM.

Coverage is live on NASA TV...

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Now aiming for the 5:32 PM EDT launch opp as the only one with a chance. T- 4:00 and holding.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Weather officer is projecting green conditions in time for the 5:32 PM EDT launch time.

 

[summoner]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Weather just went green good luck Atlas.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Weather is green, so far go for 5:32 PM EDT launch; remember live coverge is on NASA TV

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Weather officer is projecting green conditions in time for the 5:32 PM EDT launch time.

That's great news Wayne.

I suppose it's that time of the year in Florida that launch schedules can be expected to be disrupted by the tropical weather.

Lets hope that launch happens @ 5:32 PM EDT / 9:32 PM GMT - 10:32 PM CET.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Thanx for that CET time Andrew...not living over there I get confused and hesitate to say the wrong thing

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

From Spaceflightnow. Justin Ray.


2121 GMT (5:21 p.m. EDT)
The spacecraft is switching to internal battery power for launch.

2120 GMT (5:20 p.m. EDT)
NASA launch director Chuck Dovale has polled the agency's management team and given approval to proceed with the final countdown to liftoff.

From Spaceflightnow. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Thanx for that CET time Andrew...not living over there I get confused and hesitate to say the wrong thing

You are very welcome Wayne. I refuse to use BST as it is a fiction where as CET is a real time zone, the one we are currently using.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

2122 GMT (5:22 p.m. EDT)
Launch is now just 10 minutes away. Here's a look at some stats about today's mission. This will be:

* The 19th Atlas rocket launched to the Moon
* The eighth lunar flight of the Centaur upper stage
* The 16th launch of an Atlas 5 vehicle since 2002
* The 15th Atlas 5 to occur from Cape Canaveral
* The seventh Atlas 5 to fly in the 401 configuration
* The eighth Atlas 5 under United Launch Alliance
* NASA's third use of the Atlas 5 family

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

2125 GMT (5:25 p.m. EDT)
Polling of the team by Atlas launch conductor Ed Christiansen just occurred. All systems are reported "go" to continue with the countdown for liftoff at 5:32 p.m.

2124 GMT (5:24 p.m. EDT)
The LRO and LCROSS spacecraft are running on internal power and ready for launch.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

About a minute from picking up the count at T- 4:00.

Final Final poll all go.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

T minus 4 minutes and counting

 

[3488]

Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

2129 GMT (5:29 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 3 minutes. The Atlas first stage liquid oxygen replenishment is being secured so the tank can be pressurized for launch.

2128 GMT (5:28 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 3 minutes, 50 seconds. The ground pyrotechnics have been enabled.
2128 GMT (5:28 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 4 minutes and counting. Clocks have resumed for the final minutes of this afternoon's countdown to launch the Atlas 5 rocket carrying the LRO and LCROSS spacecraft. Liftoff is set to occur at 5:32 p.m.

From Spaceflightnow.com. Justin Ray.

Andrew Brown.