SMART-1 maps Kaguya lunar impact (Forwarded)

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

10 June 2009

SMART-1 maps Kaguya lunar impact

The Japanese lunar orbiter Kaguya has completed a productive operational
phase and will conclude its scientific mission with a controlled impact on
the lunar surface, scheduled for 20:30 CEST [1830 UTC] today.

The impact is expected to occur on the near-side of the Moon, in the dark
area close to the limb, at lunar coordinates 80 deg E and 64 deg S.

ESA's SMART-1 team have prepared maps of the Kaguya landing site using
survey images obtained by the SMART-1 AMIE camera. The images show that the
satellite's final orbit and impact site lie in an ancient cratered highland.

Towards the end of SMART-1's mission in September 2006, spacecraft operators
were confronted with a similar situation, which necessitated a small
manoeuvre just three days before the satellite was to impact the lunar
surface so as to avoid impacting a crater rim. SMART-1 avoided the rim of
the crater and the impact occurred at the planned time and location.

An analysis of the lunar topography has been carried out to determine the
exact time at which Kaguya will impact the surface and whether it will graze
the surface upon touchdown or if it will bounce, as SMART-1 did.

"We hope that future data will show the elongated crater that will form due
to the Kaguya impact and bouncing secondary debris," said Bernard Foing,
ESA's former SMART-1 Project Scientist.

For more information:

Bernard H. Foing
ESA former SMART-1 project scientist
Email: Bernard.Foing @ esa.int

Bjoern Grieger
ESA SMART-1 AMIE liaison scientist
Email : Bjoern.Grieger @ esa.int

[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMM5RVTGVF_index_1.html ]