She went to the conquest of the Moon: everything about the probe ... - TF1

NASA went back to the conquest of the Moon. Forty years after the last Apollo astronauts had left the lunar surface, the U.S. space agency successfully launched late Friday (Saturday morning in France) a new probe to Moon for drilling secrets of its thin atmosphere. This mission will also help to better understand other solar system objects such as large asteroids or the planet Mercury.

month journey. The Minotaur V rocket five floors, a converted intercontinental missile, was torn from its launch pad at the space center located on Wallops an island off the coast of Virginia (southeast) as provided for 11:27 p.m. local time (5:27 in France) under a starry sky. The unmanned vessel that carries, the size of a small car, called “Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer” (LADEE) was separated from the top floor of Minautor V about 20 minutes after launch. The probe is expected to reach lunar orbit within a month.

lunar dust behind mysterious lights With three science instruments including two spectrometers, LADEE weighs 383 pounds, 135 kg of fuel must collect detailed information on the structure and chemical composition of very thin lunar atmosphere (1/100.000é density of the Earth) data and determine if dust remains suspended especially near the ground. Dust grains could explain the mystery of lights observed by Apollo astronauts between 1969 and 1972 in the lunar horizon just before sunrise, said NASA .

Studying the Moon will learn about asteroids. A better understanding of the characteristics of the atmosphere of our closest celestial neighbor could help scientists understand other objects in our solar system such as asteroids or other large moons orbiting other planets, say officials of the mission initiated $ 280 million in 2008. “We looked at the moon so extensive since the last Apollo astronauts left on the moon 40 years ago when we thought it was devoid of atmosphere,” commented the day before at a conference Press John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA responsible for scientific programs.
“With orbiters recognition, we discovered that natural satellite of the Earth was scientifically much more interesting and he had a kind of atmosphere, “he said. For him, this mission “could help to better understand the diversity of our solar system and its evolution.”

We must act quickly. But study the lunar atmosphere should be done without delay before any exploration missions will disrupt this fragile environment, a said Sarah Noble, a scientist LADEE program. Indeed, the atmosphere is so thin and fragile that a landing gear could affect it, she warns. Several countries, including especially China have indicated their intention to go to the moon. Beijing announced last week the launch of a lunar lander by the end of 2014.

A new laser transmission technology. will LADEE first 40 days high above the lunar surface to perform a series of tests. In particular, it uses a new powerful as that of terrestrial fiber optic networks laser transmission technology. Then it will begin its mission of scientific study of the lunar atmosphere during 100 days.

Also read: China will send a probe to the moon the end of 2013