LRO Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission.

Page 8 - Seeking answers about space? Join the Space community: the premier source of space exploration, innovation, and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier.
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

MeteorWayne

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Thanx, I tuned in and it wasn't there, and found no listing on the NASA TV scedule.

Where did you find that?

I'll reset my alarm clock!!

Again, thanx VERY much!!

Aha, I see it was sceduled as a NASA TV event, now it is a teleconference.
 
J

jouler

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Does anyone have specifics on energy released at impact or the amount of dust kicked up?
I get about 22 kilotons for Centaur and 8 kt for LCROSS.
 
E

earth_bound_misfit

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

MeteorWayne":17zkobmi said:

The NASA moon bombing, a component of the LCROSS mission, may also trigger conflict with known extraterrestrial civilizations on the moon as reported on the moon in witnessed statements by U.S. astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, and in witnessed statements to NSA (National Security Agency) photos and documents regarding an extraterrestrial base on the dark side of the moon.

Lol! Now what's this about an "extraterrestrial base on the dark side of the moon" I take it these Aliens would prefer to look at the Stars instead of Earth. The fools, I know which way I'd have my windows facing :)
 
Z

Zipi

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

earth_bound_misfit":2ip3lbtg said:
Lol! Now what's this about an "extraterrestrial base on the dark side of the moon" I take it these Aliens would prefer to look at the Stars instead of Earth. The fools, I know which way I'd have my windows facing :)

They are not so extraterrestials as you might imagine. They are Space Nazis: :mrgreen:

http://www.ironsky.net/site/

Sorry for this offtopic, but I couldn't resist. :)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KEueJnsu80[/youtube]
Full quality teaser from Youtube
 
M

MeteorWayne

Guest
LRO Results

Some LRO results at spaceflightnow.com:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0912/20lroresults/

excerpts:
-----------

There are 20 percent more cosmic rays at the moon than in previous solar minima, but annual radiation levels are still comparable to doses received by X-ray technicians or nuclear power plant workers on Earth, Spence said.

--------

But the CRaTER instrument also discovered unexpected levels of radiation closer to the lunar surface, where the moon should block cosmic rays.

Many scientists believed the moon's mass would shield astronauts working on the surface, but LRO's discovery shows something on the moon is producing a secondary source of radiation.

"The net affect could be that you don't get much help from the moon at all," Spence said. "In fact, some of the secondary particles might be even more hazardous in terms of their radiation dose."

-------------

A leading hypothesis for the lunar radiation source is the interaction between cosmic rays and soil. As energetic particles strike regolith, the collisions could liberate other particles and hurl them high above the moon.

Spence said the revelations would not prohibit human exploration of the moon, but researchers are eager to learn more about the surprising radiation fluxes.

----------------------

Another instrument on LRO is collecting data for the most detailed thermal map of the moon ever assembled.

"The moon has one of the most extreme thermal environments of any body in the solar system," said David Paige, principal investigator for the Diviner payload at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In October, Diviner detected a cold trap in Hermite crater with temperatures of nearly -415 degrees Fahrenheit.

"To put that kind of temperature into perspective, nothing like this has ever yet been measured in the solar system," Paige said. "One would have to maybe travel far beyond the Kuiper Belt to find an object with a temperature this low."

---------------
 
3

3488

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

A few crops I've worked on from some recent LRO LROC imagery.

A 1.221 KM wide section of the floor of the north polar Peary Crater (88.37 North).
1221KMwidesectionoffloorofPearyCrat.jpg


A 537 metre wide section of the Aristarchus Plateau, covered by Pyroclastic deposits. An interesting location for possible future Human exploration & / or unmanned landers.
537metrewideareaAritarchusPlateaupy.jpg


A 410 metre wide section of the floor of the Tycho Crater. What is noticeable is the lack of tiny impact craters.
410metresectionfloorofTychoCraterLR.jpg


Another 456 metre wide section of the floor of the Tycho Crater. Solidified impact melt is visible here & also noticeable is the lack of tiny impact craters.
456metresectionfloorofTychoCraterLR.jpg


Andrew Brown.
 
W

Woggles

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Hi Andrew

What are the white rocks in these pics? Is it just light playing tricks?
 
3

3488

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Hi Woggles,

The Sun was very low (I assume you are referring to the third image in particular), but the boulders are standing proud & are capturing the low sun straight on one side, hense they appear bright. It is a trick of the light, due to the contrast involved. I am pleased that you have looked at them & I hope you find them interesting.

Two more crops below.

Another 458 metre wide section of the floor of Tycho Crater.
458metresectionfloorofTychoCraterLR.jpg


Another 454 metre section of the floor of Tycho Crater, this time with a curious low mound.
454metresectionfloorofTychoCraterLR.jpg


Andrew Brown.
 
3

3488

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

LRO spies the Soviet Luna 20 lander. The return capsule returned lunar 55 grams of lunar regolith from the rugged highlands between Mare Fecunditatis and Mare Crisium. The descent stage is visible here.
PIA12960_modest.jpg


Cropped enlargement of above.
PIA12960-1.jpg


LRO spies the Soviet Lunokhod 2 with tracks.
100316164950-large1.jpg


Cropped, sharpened enlargement of above.
100316164950-large.jpg


Andrew Brown.
 
3

3488

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

It sure is very cool.

Below LRO spies the Soviet Lunokhod 1. Lunokhod 1 is dead centre.
lunojod1_lro.png


LRO also spies Luna 17 that carried Lunokhod 1 to the Moon.
M114185541RE_L1L_ano.png


Luna 17 zoomed in.
L1Lzoom.png


Andrew Brown.
 
B

brandbll

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Those pictures are awesome! Thanks for posting them Andrew!
 
Z

Zipi

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ1VPDjZu9w[/youtube]
 
M

MarkStanaway

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Wow, these photos are fantastic! Thanks Andrew
It looks like Lunokhod 2 did actually make it out of the crater where it met its final demise.
Here is an explanation given by Soviet scientists some 30 years after the event of what happened to Lunokhod 2

'The rover continued its exploration for the next three months when quite suddenly Radio Moscow announced that its programme had been completed! No further explanation was offered for the seemingly premature demise of the rover. It was only 30 years later that an explanation was offered. It seems the drivers had gone down into a particularly steep crater and as they tried to exit it the lid had scraped the side of the crater depositing lunar soil on the solar cells. The effects were not immediately obvious with only some loss of electrical power but when the lid was closed for the night soil was dumped onto the radiators which control temperatures in the pressurised section. When the lid was opened the following day the radiators could not function and quickly rising temperatures caused Lunokhod 2 to expire. '

'Soviet and Russian Lunar Exploration' by Brian Harvey pp270-271

You can also see the shadow of the arm that deposited the soil sample in the return capsule of luna 20
Mark
 
W

Woggles

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

MarkStanaway":3ihfsika said:
but when the lid was closed for the night

'Soviet and Russian Lunar Exploration' by Brian Harvey pp270-271


?????? I'm not sure if this was quoted correctly.
 
M

MarkStanaway

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

You are right.
That was the source of the information.
I should have specified that it was not a direct quote from Brian Harvey's book.
The original explaination is far more detailed so I paraphrased it to give the general gist of what happened.
Sorry for the confusion
Mark
 
3

3488

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

LRO spies Surveyor 6 in Sinus Medii. Sun was only 8 degress above the western horizon & the shadow cast by Surveyor 6 was 18 metres long.
M117501284LE_S6_rev.png


Apollo 13 Saturn IVB stage impact crater speid by LRO. The crater is approx 30 metres wide.
M109420042LE_thumb.png


My own crop & enlargement of Apollo 13 Saturn IVB impact crater.
M109420042LE_thumb-1.jpg


Andrew Brown.
 
M

MarkStanaway

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

SPLAT!
That's a great shot of an S IVB impact.
It still looks very fresh even after 40 years.

Mark
 
E

EarthlingX

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

MarkStanaway":2rqf4htd said:
SPLAT!
That's a great shot of an S IVB impact.
It still looks very fresh even after 40 years.

Mark
It is very nice. :cool: I wonder what does it show us, when we compare it other, more natural craters. It will probably look similar to them, after a couple of thousand years, i guess. Can't wait to see that ;)
 
J

JonClarke

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Woggles":224h4dw0 said:
MarkStanaway":224h4dw0 said:
but when the lid was closed for the night

'Soviet and Russian Lunar Exploration' by Brian Harvey pp270-271


?????? I'm not sure if this was quoted correctly.

Why not? You do know that the Lunokhods had a lid which closed for the night and opened to expose the radiators and solar panels?
 
W

Woggles

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

JonClarke":2cgagnm7 said:
Woggles":2cgagnm7 said:
MarkStanaway":2cgagnm7 said:
but when the lid was closed for the night

'Soviet and Russian Lunar Exploration' by Brian Harvey pp270-271


?????? I'm not sure if this was quoted correctly.

Why not? You do know that the Lunokhods had a lid which closed for the night and opened to expose the radiators and solar panels?

Well I always thought the moon had 2 weeks of day light and 2 weeks of night. Closed for the night to me means a 24 hour cycle.
 
M

MeteorWayne

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Well, on the moon it's the same thing, except night lasts 14 earth days. Any rotating body has a day/night cycle, just the lengths are different.
 
W

Woggles

Guest
Re: LRO/LCROSS Mission

Sure MW, It was the quote from 'Soviet and Russian Lunar Exploration' by Brian Harvey pp270-271' that surprize me!! I am sure that is what was meant.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts