In October, the orbiter's companion craft, the Lunar Crater Observing and Sensing Satellite ( LCROSS), is destined for a lunar smack-down. That's why the mission includes some fall fireworks. Past spacecraft have yielded evidence of water. It will also map the distribution of surface minerals.įrom the standpoint of establishing lunar outposts, a key task is hunting for water ice that may lurk in the permanent, frigid darkness at the bottom of craters at the moon's poles. It will gather information on radiation hazards from the sun, from cosmic rays from deep space, and from energetic neutrons those rays kick up when they strike the lunar surface. The orbiter will gather images of objects as small as 18 inches across, build contour maps of the lunar surface accurate to within about three feet, and map surface temperatures at different latitudes and through the moon's subtle seasonal changes. 'This is exploration and science working together,' says Mike Wargo, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) chief lunar scientist. The data will help planners figure out where to send astronauts when it's time to put boots back on the lunar surface.Īfter the first year, the orbiter will continue working for an additional year or two with emphasis on answering basic questions about the moon – about the composition of the moon's 'seas' and highlands, and its geologic history written in the rocks exposed in crater walls. Eastern Standard Time.Īfter a four-day journey, and another 66 days of testing and easing the spacecraft into its final orbit, the LRO will circle the moon some 31 miles above its surface, building the most detailed atlas yet of Earth's companion. The $504-million mission is scheduled to take off as early as 5:12 p.m. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and a companion spacecraft are set for launch Thursday aboard an Atlas 5 rocket. I hope you find it useful!Īnd in the link to the source there is a very good article about the volcano (eng).Nearly 5-1/2 years after former President Bush decided to send US astronauts back to the moon by 2020, America is set to launch the first mission supporting that goal. The plateau lies isolated in the Ocean of Storms and rises up to 1100 m relative to the 'sea' plain.Īnd of course, the 2016 Chinese Moon Atlas.

The peak is located in the southern part of the lava plateau with a diameter of over 70 km. Rumker Peak was formed from a shield volcano in the Eratosthenic period. On the fourth and fifth maps, which will help find the landing site of the Chinese lunar apparatus. Because in this case, the shadows cast by it are greatly lengthened and make the picture more detailed. This effect can be achieved when oblique sunlight falls on the observed object. It is worth noting that the author who made this sketch received a very successful moon phase (diagram in the upper left corner of the sketch), which allowed him to see quite a lot of details in the structure of the mountain range.

And on the third, an amateur sketch of a volcano, when observed with a 200mm telescope with a magnification of 320x. In the second photo, Rumker is already captured from the orbital station. The main thing is to capture a stable and transparent atmosphere in order to obtain such shots. In the first photo there is an amateur shot of this lunar mountain, as well as the place where the Chinese mission Chang'e 5 will sit.Īs you can see from the survey parameters, the peak is clearly seen at a telescope aperture of 9.25 inches. Hello! In the wake of news about the launch of the Chinese mission Chang'e 5 to the moon behind the ground, I would like to share with you information on astronomical observation of the landing site of the descent vehicle.

China moon atlas