The European Space Agency's (ESA) SMART-1 spacecraft ... (Spacecraft to Slam into the Moon)

Another *brilliant* ESA [space] project ... ( Deep Impact envy,
maybe? )

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"Scientists are plotting out a "crash course" in learning what happens
when a European lunar probe slams into the Moon.

The European Space Agency's (ESA) SMART-1 spacecraft--now circling the
Moon--is headed for a planned early September impact with Earth's
celestial neighbor.

The ESA probe would plow into the lunar surface, giving it a glancing
blow as it speeds in at nearly 5,000 miles per hour (2 kilometers per
second).

SMART-1 is Europe's first robotic lunar mission. The name SMART stands
for Small Mission for Advanced Research in Technology

The spacecraft was launched on September 27, 2003. Making use of its
ion-propulsion engine to slowly nudge it outward from Earth, the probe
powered its way into lunar orbit on November 15, 2004.

Outfitted with miniaturized instruments, SMART-1's goal has been to
gauge key chemical elements in the lunar surface, as well as look into
the theory that the Moon was formed following the violent collision of
a smaller planet with Earth long ago.

ESA's lunar probe completes a loop around the Moon every five
hours--but that's about to end later this year.

Rehearsal mode

Engineers and scientists are now targeting SMART-1 for possible impact
on the Moon around September 1-2. The current uncertainty range for the
exact time of impact is 15 hours. ...


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http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/200603...lamintothemoon
for source