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Japan Launches Lunar Orbiter Mission
Sooner Boomer writes "In a historic event, Japan today launched its first lunar probe. The mission is nicknamed Kaguya after a fairy-tale princess from Japanese myth. The news media is calling it the 'latest move in a new race with China, India and the United States' to explore the moon (don't forget Google). From the article: 'The rocket carrying the three-metric ton orbiter took off into blue skies, leaving a huge trail of vapor over the tiny island of Tanegashima, about 1,000 km (620 miles) south of Tokyo, at 10:31 a.m. (9:31 p.m. EDT) as it headed out over the Pacific Ocean. The mission consists of a main orbiter and two baby satellites equipped with 14 observation instruments designed to examine surface terrain, gravity and other features for clues on the origin and evolution of the moon. China has plans to launch an orbiter later this year, with unmanned rover lander mission scheduled for 2010. India and the US also have orbiter missions scheduled for next year.'"
Dude, there were no Maan in it, the thing's correct. Stop nitpicking!
Send email from the afterlife! Write your e-will at Dead Man's Switch.
Perhaps 'unmaanned' refers to the fact that the probe does not actually land on the Maan, but just orbits it. ;)
The rocket carrying the three-metric ton orbiter...
Are you sure about that?
Developers: We can use your help.
Everyone knows the Japanese are secretly working with the NSA to provide so-called "proof" of the non-existent Apollo landing sites. The truth is out there people!
...is that the spacecraft is in the shape of a giant robot, and that, upon achieving lunar orbit, it will disassemble itself into three smaller robots, a moon buggy, a six-wheeler truck, and a mouse-class pokemon carrying a katana.
They will awaken Gogirra!!
No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
I bet they find a fake lander.
Guys after the apollo program all they'll have left to do is research future tech and start building space colony ship modules, once they got all the modules assembled and reach Alpha Centauri it's Game over man.
Me. It's always too crowded at weekends.
Shockingly, you seem to be right!
"The mission is nicknamed Kaguya after a fairy-tale princess from Japanese myth"
Okami is a game heavily based on Japanese myth!
In other news, 1 and 1 make 2.
Seriously, you should look the story up. It's a classic tale of boy-meets-girl, girl-returns-to-moon, guy-gets-really-sad-and-sets-fire-to-things-atop-mountain.
This mission is just a warmup. Japan's future plans include a lunar mission in 2022 in which gigantic teflon and mylar sheets will be installed at strategic locations extending upward perpendicular to the surface. Upon completion of the complex in 2024, observers on Earth will see that the moon has been transformed into a giant Hello Kitty.
(*dons tinfoil hat*)
That's no Moon!
Then the third probe burnt down, fell over, and then sank into the swamp.
"I only speak the truth"
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