Posted by Ray in NASA, current, history, moon
Scouting the moon…again
In preparation for the Apollo moonlandings, NASA sent a series of unmanned probes to the moon to check out the situation…and to find good landing sites.
Crashing, Orbiting, Landing
Ranger went to the moon and sent back photos and data, prior to crashing. Luner Orbiter, a more sophisticated vehicle, circled the moon taking pictures and mapping the surface. And, Surveyor managed to send back data after actually soft-landing on the moon.
The Next Generation
Here we go again. In preparation for the next generation of moonlandings, some new probes are being prepared to scout out the situation. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is currently on its way to Kennedy Space Center, and is scheduled for an April 24th launch.
Using seven onboard instruments, the LRO will send back data from low polar orbit around the moon for about a year. After completing its primary mission, if all goes well, the spacecraft will continue sending additional data for three more years.
And then, someday, we’ll send astronauts again.
