Lunar Prospector

Lunar Prospector was a probe of exploration manufactured by the Americans. It was the first machine built within the framework of the program Discovery . Setting-up by NASA, the mission cost 62,8 million dollars, including approximately 34 million dollars for the development, approximately 25 million for the vehicle of launching and nearly 4 million for the operations.

Goal of the mission

The principal goal of the mission was to place the probe in lunar Orbite at 100 km of altitude to study the magnetic characteristics, gravitational and chemical of the the Moon. January 6th, 1998, the probe was launched and it was in orbit around the Moon to 100 km of altitude on January 15th. As from December 1998, it started to approach the surface of the Moon and is descended up to 15 km from altitude. In July 1999, Lunar Prospector will make a voluntary fall with the south pole of the the Moon.

Machine used

The cylindrical Satellite weighed 295 kg and measured 1,3 m length and 1,4 m in diameter. It was launched thanks to the Fusée on three floors Athéna 2. It is equipped inter alia Spectromètre with neutrons which makes it possible to detect Neutron S which are projected at the time of the collisions between the cosmic rays and the lunar ground, that makes it possible to analyze them. Another spectrometer is specialized in the analysis of the Gamma ray to analyze the composition of the lunar ground. The third spectrometer makes it possible to discover radioactive gases. The probe has also two other systems: a Magnetometer and a Reflectometer of electrons. These two apparatuses were used to establish a chart of the Magnetic field of the Moon.

Discovered

Thanks to Lunar Prospector, the scientists could observe Eau in the form of Glace, at the bottom of the Cratère S which are never lit by the Sun. The scientists of NASA caused the fall of Lunar Prospector because they hoped to see, at the time of the impact, of water in the form of vapor. Unfortunately, they could not see some, but that does not want to say that there is no water at the bottom of these craters. The impact was perhaps too light to vaporize water. Lunar Prospector also could study the crust of the Moon to examine the composition of the lunar ground.

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