Email from Sheldon Day ...
LADEE SPACECRAFT REACHES THE MOON: The team flying NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission is among the select few at the space agency who have exemptions allowing them to work during the government shutdown. Early this morning, October 6th, they fired LADEE's main engine in a braking maneuver known as the Lunar Orbit Insertion burn. This slowed the spacecraft's velocity enough for it to be captured by the Moon's gravity. This critical burn went flawlessly and LADEE is now in lunar orbit. Two more main engine burns, on October 9 and 12 will adjust LADEE's trajectory, settling it into its commissioning orbit. LADEE is on a mission to study the diaphanous lunar atmosphere, which is mightily affected by space weather: NASA video (Preview) .
We need to see "how far away" Comet ISON will pass by our Moon.. Very interesting that this Nasa team is "exempt" during the shutdown.. I suspect that NASA is interested to see how this comet will be interacting with our moon next/...
SHELDON
We need to see "how far away" Comet ISON will pass by our Moon.. Very interesting that this Nasa team is "exempt" during the shutdown.. I suspect that NASA is interested to see how this comet will be interacting with our moon next/...
SHELDON
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