NASA to bomb moon today to explore water
By siliconindia   |   Friday, 09 October 2009, 15:02 IST   |    33 Comments
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NASA to bomb moon today to explore water
Washington: In a controversial mission, the U.S. space agency NASA is all set to bomb the moon in its search for water on Friday morning. The move has come just weeks after the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced discovery of evidence of water on the lunar surface. NASA wants to know if the twin impacts of the Lunar Crater Observation and its Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) will reveal any ice or water under the moon's surface. The moon will be hit by two spacecrafts at a speed of 9,000 kilometers per hour giving up a 10 kilometer high shower of debris that the NASA anticipates will confirm the presence of water which is necessary to supply future visits by the astronauts. The $79 million unmanned spacecraft LCROSS was launched in June. The amateur astronomers around the world may be able to view the impact through a telescope and for others; the crash will be broadcasted live on the NASA website along with early pictures of the lunar dust cloud during the dramatic mission. The scientists will get to know within an hour whether the moon's surface contains water or not after the explosion.