LRO Reached the Moon
One week ago, I wrote about the launch of two NASA probes to the Moon – Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS).
I thought it will some while before we hear about them again because I forgot that our Moon is very near, and it will only took a very short time to reach it…
Compared to New Horizon Mission to Pluto that took more than 9 years journey; or Cassini Mission to Saturn that took 7 years; or the Phoenix Mars Lander to our neighbour planet that took about 10 months, 4.5 days journey to the Moon by LRO is just like a walk across the street.
LRO is now in its commissioning phase orbit, where each of its seven instruments is checked out and brought online. This commissioning phase will end approximately 60 days after launch, when LRO will use its engines to transition to its primary mission orbit, which is 50 km above the Moon.
The other lunar probe – LCROSS – also has successfully completed its early milestone. By using the Moon’s gravity, it had entered into Earth’s polar orbit which now puts it on a course to impact the lunar south pole this October.
Source:
NASA Press Release – LRO
NASA Press Release – LCROSS
My Dark Sky 