LCROSS (and the Moon) Up Close

The LCROSS spacecraft will be giving it all up for science Friday morning when it and the second stage of the Centaur rocket impact Cabeus crater on the Moon's south pole, searching for possible water ice hidden inside the perpetually dark portions of the crater. Since we'll never see LCROSS again, its only fitting to take a good long, last look at her. Solar System Ambassador and Planetary Society volunteer Ken Kremer had the wonderful opportunity to see both LCROSS and her sister ship the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) in the Astrotech Space Operations Facility clean room in Titusville, FL earlier this year before the dynamic duo launched together on June 18. Ken has graciously given permission to allow us to publish these images (which were previously posted on the Planetary Society website) so we can all remember what she looked like. Above is a side view of LCROSS wrapped in gold multi-layer thermal insulation. The solar array is on the left side. Science instrument, avionics, navigation, communication and thruster equipment panels encircle and are attached to the central payload adapter ring. The star tracker is on the right side, and the payload fairing halves sit at either side.

More images below.
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NASA Science News for October 7, 2009

NASA scientists have figured out how to extract water from lunar soil. Their approach is as easy as using a microwave oven.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/07oct_microwave.htm?list1035898

NASA Science News for October 7, 2009

Just when you thought every big thing in the Solar System had already been discovered, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has found an extraordinary new "supersized" ring around Saturn.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/07oct_giantring.htm?list1035898

NASA Science News for October 6, 2009

Archeologists are using NASA satellites and supercomputers to crack the mystery of the ancient Maya. New findings suggest the Maya may have played a key role in their own downfall.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/06oct_maya.htm?list1035898

NASA Science News for October 5, 2009

On Friday morning, Oct. 9th, you can watch a pair of spacecraft crash into the Moon with your own eyes. The purposeful impacts are the climax of NASA's LCROSS mission to unearth signs of water in lunar soil. Today's story tells how and where to look.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/05oct_lcrossvg.htm?list1035898

NASA Science News for September 29, 2009

NASA spacecraft are measuring record-high levels of cosmic rays--a side-effect of the deepest solar minimum in nearly a century. The cosmic ray storm appears to be intensifying, say researchers, and the peak may be yet to come.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/29sep_cosmicrays.htm?list1035898

NASA Science News for September 24, 2009

Fresh meteorite impacts are exposing underground ice on Mars. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is beaming back must-see photos of the process at work.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/24sep_martianice.htm?list1035898

NASA Science News for September 24, 2009

Using instruments on three separate spacecraft, scientists have discovered water molecules in the polar regions of the Moon.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/24sep_moonwater.htm?list1035898

NASA Science News for September 23, 2009

NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft is set to make its third and final flyby of the planet Mercury on Sept. 29th. The encounter is expected to produce hundreds of images of previously unseen terrain and confirm the strange elliptical shape of Mercury's equator.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/23sep_mercuryflyby3.htm?list1035898