SMART Probe to Crash Into the Moon

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @11:29AM from the player-nasa-cratered dept.

cyberbian writes "Amateur astronomers will be excited to note that they can witness the impact of the SMART-1 probe crashing into the moon. The impact is scheduled for the morning of September 2nd (PDT). From the article: 'There's nothing wrong with the spacecraft, which is wrapping up a successful 3-year mission to the Moon. SMART-1's main job was to test a European-built ion engine. It worked beautifully, propelling the craft in 2003 on a unique spiral path from Earth to the Moon. From lunar orbit, SMART-1 took thousands of high-resolution pictures and made mineral maps of the Moon's terrain. One of its most important discoveries was a "Peak of Eternal Light," a mountaintop near the Moon's north pole in constant, year-round sunlight. Peaks of Eternal Light are prime real estate for solar-powered Moon bases."

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SMART Probe to Crash... by Shadyman · 2006-08-30 11:59 · Score: 0, Redundant

So that makes it what, a DUMB probe?
Smart? by dcam · 2006-08-30 12:13 · Score: 0, Redundant

It doesn't sound very smart, crashing into the moon. Surely missing it would be a better idea.

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meh