NASA Moon Bombing Video: Hit or Miss? NASA LCROSS Lunar Impact

by Jordan Yerman | October 8, 2009 at 06:49 am

2789 views | 24 Recommendations | 11 comments

NASA rammed a spacecraft into the Moon on Friday, October 9 for the LCROSS mission. Here's the NASA Moon bombing video (some are calling it the "lacrosse video"). The Moon impact was aimed at the Cabeus crater. The Moon strike was a success, but less visually spectacular than spectators had hoped: more real-life science than Michael Bay flick. In terms of hitting an incredibly distant target with great accuracy, the NASA moon impact was a success. However, how successful was the scientific element of the mission: kicking up a dust plume and then analyzing its contents? The dust plume kicked up by the Centaur rocket stage to be analyzed by the NASA LCROSS probe was far smaller than expected, but that doesn't mean the mission failed. Still, we'd have liked to have seen those promised live pics.

Ames offficials had opened the guarded center for the night to the public, and hundreds of space enthusiasts had gathered in the open for the night to watch a program of three movies on a giant screen and await the impact.

When they saw an image of the crash transmitted from LCROSS far above and the debris plume was barely visible instead of spectacularly bright, the crowd in the cold open air - and some in tents - was disappointed.

People are calling it the "NASA moon bombing", though there are no explosives involved. SO it's not so much a NASA Moon bombing as a NASA Moon collision. A section of a Centaur rocket will collide with the moon, creating a crater and dust cloud, which (in theory) will kick loose ice particles that have been laying dormant for eons. This cloud will be analyzed by a second craft, the LCROSS (Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite). This has led to all sorts of theories revolving around secret missions for weapons tests or lunar colonial plans, but actually it's just a lo-fi impact test that will have virtually no impact on a celestial body that is no stranger to collisions. The "colonial plans" theory is actually true, as NASA makes no secret of wanting to set up facilities for human survival on the Moon, but we're not talkin' Space 1999.

The two spacecrafts' impact upon the Moon will have no effect on its orbit.

You'll be able to watch the "NASA moon bombing" live via NASA.

Though the Moon is drier than any desert, space scientists believe ice dumped by comets could be trapped in permanently shadowed craters that have not seen sunlight for billions of years. If so they could provide vital water supplies for a manned moonbase, both to drink and be turned into fuel.

NASA say the Centaur impact will produce a crater about 20 yards wide and as deep as a swimming pool. It will have less effect on the Moon than a mosquito hitting a jumbo jet.

The Atlas V Centaur upper stage has a mass of 2,000 kg (the more massive of the two vehicles impacting the Moon). It will be moving at 5,600 mph (2.5 km/sec.) BAM! By comparison, the Moon is orbiting the Earth at the measely speed of 2,300 mph (1.022 km/sec). On the other

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Levi Psychic (not verified)

at 11:01 on October 8th, 2009

No explosives? Funny how NASA have changed their tune not to mention the location of impact from Cabeus A to Cabeus proper crater.This is yet another irresponsible scientific experiment. The Moon controls our tides and they are aiming at it's weakest spot.. the pole!See my latest blog because I have much more to say on this subject.www.levi-tarot.co.uk/world-predictions-2007-blog.htmlOh yes I forgot. The mad Boffins are going to fire up the LHC again this month.DR Strangelove in reality.On The Wind - Levi

jefhow22

at 11:17 on October 8th, 2009

Let's not forget back in the 60's NASA impacted the moon with exploratory spacecraft to ready the landing missions...this was not looked at as superstitious or some theory of evidence of NASA wanting to control the moon or better yet...the universe...of course we know the real reason NASA is going to crash a spacecraft into the moon....what kind of CHEESE is the moon made of !?

Jordan Yerman

at 13:28 on October 8th, 2009

Smoked gouda. The truth is finally out!

steak666bake (not verified)

at 04:05 on October 9th, 2009

why has my comment been taken of this site it wasnt offensive it contained no swearing ect WHY?

Spydermonkey

at 12:04 on October 8th, 2009

The choice of impact location actually make a lot of sense. Hitting a body near the pole will throw up a dust cloud that can be looked "thru" into space beyond. If it was done on the equator then you could only look at reflective light images instead. Not as informative.

steak666bake (not verified)

at 03:59 on October 9th, 2009

nasa exactly knows what its latest mission is set to do rather than find water trapped from COMETS nasa are sending this explosive some say no explosives are in involved to cause a conflict with the greys

dysamoria

at 08:08 on October 9th, 2009

i LOVE that you post stories about human space flight (even though no actual humans were involved, hah).

THANKS!

dysamoria

at 08:15 on October 9th, 2009

i shouldn't be surprised at the conspiracy theorists... but being a logical, rational, scientific person... it still stuns me how... well... out-there people can be.

one sojourner (not verified)

at 16:08 on October 10th, 2009

dysamoria; Out-there? Conspiracy theorists? Hello, our world is ruled by many liars, and in your attempt to be this "normal logical Joe" you can lose the perspective of the deceptions happening around you. I know people who don't believe in UFOs, no secret projects, & no government conspiracies, ever. They are the perfect sperm donor canidates for a dumb down society. It shocks me how you could possibly call yourself "being a logical, rational, scientific person" ... that's a joke ... right? You're an idiot barking dog, barking the same retoric downing conspiracies. They have succesfully created a place in your (duh) brain that says ... the word conspiracy is equal to a fantasy. And you have successfully proved you have been programed by the forces you would consider as truthful by going along with that very thought. All the while you're being spoon feed crap on a daily basis by the (so called) news shows as they laugh about conspiracies theories, sucker enough to fool yourself into believing you're being quite logical, and dumb enough to glorify yourself in print to prove it. Hello???

I do'nt know (not verified)

at 13:38 on October 15th, 2009

I do'nt know (not verified)

at 02:49 on October 18th, 2009

Here is my problem with this. They say we landed on the moon in the 60s, planted our flag, left our footprints, and physical evidence that our lunar lander and other machines HAVE actually been there. Would'nt this site be considered extremely HISTORICAL? Is NASA not worried about disturbing this site? Or is this really a plot for a very conveniant future explanation of why the landing sitte cannot be found? "In the year 2009 we launched a rocket that accidently and coincidently destroyed and erased all traces of the 1960s moon landing". BTW, do'nt we have powerful and sophisticated telescopes theese days? It kind of bothers me that no one is even attempting to take modern pictures of the site or get some sort of view of it.