Unmanned spacecraft to slam into moon

JHfwp · 10-08-2009, 03:40 PM

Unmanned spacecraft to slam into moon

by Anne Ryman - Oct. 8, 2009 02:00 PM
The Arizona Republic

On Friday, a NASA satellite is scheduled to slam into the moon on purpose, and the crash is expected to be visible from earth with a telescope.

A 2-ton piece of equipment the size of a school bus, known as the impactor, is expected to bore a 13-foot hole in the lunar surface and kick up a plume of dust 6 miles high.

A few minutes later, an unmanned part about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle is programmed to fly through the debris, recording and transmitting data back to Earth before smashing into the moon as well.

Article continues at link: Unmanned spacecraft to slam into moon

Photographing something like this is definitely not my forte. I hope someone here gives it a shot though!

K-9 · 10-08-2009, 03:45 PM

$79 million dollars for that craft that's going to be destroyed for the test!

wildlifephotog · 10-08-2009, 03:52 PM

The craft have already completed all the science they were sent to do. They definitely don't want to just leave them orbiting the moon. That would pose a serious danger to future missions. So their final work will be to try and expose water in a crash plume.

If anyone has a 10 inch or larger scope, it would be cool to see the resulting plume. It could be photographed if one is ready. The plumes will only last about 90 seconds. Actually a modded webcam on a scope would be better.

Arpe · 10-08-2009, 04:47 PM

Great. Now they're littering the moon as well.

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 10-08-2009, 04:57 PM

Originally posted by K-9

$79 million dollars for that craft that's going to be destroyed for the test!

That's way too much! We will get a whole traditional Swedish red cottage on the moon for less than that!

http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/~ra826/group5/mg/mgindex.html

Swede plans to put little red cottage on the moon - The Local

Ratmagiclady · 10-08-2009, 05:43 PM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

That's way too much! We will get a whole traditional Swedish red cottage on the moon for less than that!

http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/~ra826/group5/mg/mgindex.html

Swede plans to put little red cottage on the moon - The Local

Haha.

Awesome.

Rupert · 10-08-2009, 07:00 PM

I just hope all the kids on that School Bus are buckled up good! If it is like the School buses I rode on as a kid, the driver is finally about to get the relief he asked for!

KierraElizabeth · 10-09-2009, 12:43 AM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

That's way too much! We will get a whole traditional Swedish red cottage on the moon for less than that!

http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/~ra826/group5/mg/mgindex.html

Swede plans to put little red cottage on the moon - The Local

My husband told me, while we were watching a blurb about this on the evening news, "Great, they are going to destroy the moon, and then we'll have no sunlight." I sat there, processing that a long time and never made sense of it...didn't figure it was worth asking him to clarify!

lithos · 10-09-2009, 01:34 AM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

That's way too much! We will get a whole traditional Swedish red cottage on the moon for less than that!

http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/~ra826/group5/mg/mgindex.html

Swede plans to put little red cottage on the moon - The Local

Bloody Sweden, mucking around with lunar houses.

Hurry up and build your Lesbian City first.

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 10-09-2009, 02:32 AM

Originally posted by lithos

Bloody Sweden, mucking around with lunar houses.

Hurry up and build your Lesbian City first.

You got it backward, that city was founded in 1820, but was abandoned in 1943 after half the population was eaten by the hungry polar bears that roam the streets in most of Sweden except in June-July.

JHfwp · 10-09-2009, 07:01 AM

Well, that wasn't quite what I expected. But at least they didn't destroy the moon.

Ratmagiclady · 10-09-2009, 07:58 AM

Originally posted by KierraElizabeth

My husband told me, while we were watching a blurb about this on the evening news, "Great, they are going to destroy the moon, and then we'll have no sunlight." I sat there, processing that a long time and never made sense of it...didn't figure it was worth asking him to clarify!

Who says there's anything wrong with science education in America?

Perhaps he was speculating that if the Moon were blown up, the debris would block out the Sun.

And in other news, a major Chinese news agency last week imposed strict new rules against writing personal fantasy stories on the company network. A news desk editor, disciplined under the new guidelines, commented, "I never wanted to do this, anyway... I wanted to be... A lumberjack..."

lithos · 10-09-2009, 08:05 AM

Aye. Would've rendered my tidal charts useless.

Ratmagiclady · 10-09-2009, 09:30 AM

Originally posted by lithos

Aye. Would've rendered my tidal charts useless.

I wouldn't be too concerned.

See all those craters? Those were made by things far more massive and traveling a lot faster than a city bus. And there She is.

lithos · 10-09-2009, 10:12 AM

True. I'm more concerned about what the hell I'm doing with tide charts, five hundred ks inland.

10-08-2009, 03:40 PM	#1
JHfwp Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 876	Unmanned spacecraft to slam into moon Unmanned spacecraft to slam into moon by Anne Ryman - Oct. 8, 2009 02:00 PM The Arizona Republic On Friday, a NASA satellite is scheduled to slam into the moon on purpose, and the crash is expected to be visible from earth with a telescope. A 2-ton piece of equipment the size of a school bus, known as the impactor, is expected to bore a 13-foot hole in the lunar surface and kick up a plume of dust 6 miles high. A few minutes later, an unmanned part about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle is programmed to fly through the debris, recording and transmitting data back to Earth before smashing into the moon as well. Article continues at link: Unmanned spacecraft to slam into moon Photographing something like this is definitely not my forte. I hope someone here gives it a shot though!

10-09-2009, 07:58 AM	#12
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by KierraElizabeth My husband told me, while we were watching a blurb about this on the evening news, "Great, they are going to destroy the moon, and then we'll have no sunlight." I sat there, processing that a long time and never made sense of it...didn't figure it was worth asking him to clarify! Who says there's anything wrong with science education in America? Perhaps he was speculating that if the Moon were blown up, the debris would block out the Sun. And in other news, a major Chinese news agency last week imposed strict new rules against writing personal fantasy stories on the company network. A news desk editor, disciplined under the new guidelines, commented, "I never wanted to do this, anyway... I wanted to be... A lumberjack..." Last edited by Ratmagiclady; 10-09-2009 at 08:13 AM.

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10-08-2009, 03:45 PM	#2
K-9 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,971	$79 million dollars for that craft that's going to be destroyed for the test!

10-08-2009, 03:52 PM	#3
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	The craft have already completed all the science they were sent to do. They definitely don't want to just leave them orbiting the moon. That would pose a serious danger to future missions. So their final work will be to try and expose water in a crash plume. If anyone has a 10 inch or larger scope, it would be cool to see the resulting plume. It could be photographed if one is ready. The plumes will only last about 90 seconds. Actually a modded webcam on a scope would be better.

10-08-2009, 04:47 PM	#4
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Great. Now they're littering the moon as well.

10-08-2009, 04:57 PM	#5
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374	Originally posted by K-9 $79 million dollars for that craft that's going to be destroyed for the test! That's way too much! We will get a whole traditional Swedish red cottage on the moon for less than that! http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/~ra826/group5/mg/mgindex.html Swede plans to put little red cottage on the moon - The Local

10-08-2009, 05:43 PM	#6
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden That's way too much! We will get a whole traditional Swedish red cottage on the moon for less than that! http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/~ra826/group5/mg/mgindex.html Swede plans to put little red cottage on the moon - The Local Haha. Awesome.

10-08-2009, 07:00 PM	#7
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	I just hope all the kids on that School Bus are buckled up good! If it is like the School buses I rode on as a kid, the driver is finally about to get the relief he asked for!

10-09-2009, 12:43 AM	#8
KierraElizabeth Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Eastern Idaho Posts: 197	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden That's way too much! We will get a whole traditional Swedish red cottage on the moon for less than that! http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/~ra826/group5/mg/mgindex.html Swede plans to put little red cottage on the moon - The Local My husband told me, while we were watching a blurb about this on the evening news, "Great, they are going to destroy the moon, and then we'll have no sunlight." I sat there, processing that a long time and never made sense of it...didn't figure it was worth asking him to clarify!

10-09-2009, 01:34 AM	#9
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden That's way too much! We will get a whole traditional Swedish red cottage on the moon for less than that! http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/~ra826/group5/mg/mgindex.html Swede plans to put little red cottage on the moon - The Local Bloody Sweden, mucking around with lunar houses. Hurry up and build your Lesbian City first.

10-09-2009, 02:32 AM	#10
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374	Originally posted by lithos Bloody Sweden, mucking around with lunar houses. Hurry up and build your Lesbian City first. You got it backward, that city was founded in 1820, but was abandoned in 1943 after half the population was eaten by the hungry polar bears that roam the streets in most of Sweden except in June-July.

10-09-2009, 07:01 AM	#11
JHfwp Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 876 Original Poster	Well, that wasn't quite what I expected. But at least they didn't destroy the moon.

10-09-2009, 08:05 AM	#13
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	Aye. Would've rendered my tidal charts useless.

10-09-2009, 09:30 AM	#14
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by lithos Aye. Would've rendered my tidal charts useless. I wouldn't be too concerned. See all those craters? Those were made by things far more massive and traveling a lot faster than a city bus. And there She is.

10-09-2009, 10:12 AM	#15
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	True. I'm more concerned about what the hell I'm doing with tide charts, five hundred ks inland.