http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23939448
http://www.space.com/22695-nasa-moon-mi ... craft.html
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ladee ... isENT8fJ08
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ladee ... isEvT8fJ08NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE, pronounced like "laddie") is a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the lunar atmosphere, conditions near the surface and environmental influences on lunar dust. A thorough understanding of these characteristics will address long-standing unknowns, and help scientists understand other planetary bodies as well.
The LADEE spacecraft will be launched on a Minotaur V vehicle during a five-day launch period that opens on Sept. 6, 2013.
The LADEE mission is divided into mission phases: Launch, Ascent, Activation and Checkout, Phasing Orbits, Lunar Orbit Insertion, Commissioning, Science, and Decommissioning.
Once launched, LADEE will enter a series of phasing orbits, which allows the spacecraft to arrive at the moon at the proper time and phase. This approach accommodates any dispersion in the Minotaur V launch injection.
LADEE's arrival at the moon depends on the launch date. The spacecraft will approach the moon from its leading edge, travel behind the moon out of sight of the Earth, and then re-emerge and execute a three-minute Lunar Orbit Insertion maneuver. This will place LADEE in an elliptical retrograde equatorial orbit with an orbital period of approximately 24 hours.
A series of maneuvers is then performed to reduce the orbit to become nearly circular with a 156-mile (250-kilometer) altitude.
The 100-day Science Phase is performed at an orbit that will vary between 20–60 kilometers due to the moon’s “lumpy” gravity field. During the Science Phase, the moon will rotate more than three times underneath the LADEE orbit.
Following the Science Phase, a decommissioning period is planned, during which the altitude will be managed down to lower altitudes, after which the spacecraft will impact the lunar surface.
I find it amusing that they are now talking about a Lunar atmosphere like it's normal as if they have never totally shot down anyone before for making such a claim!Technology Demonstration:
Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD)
Currently, communications with spacecraft beyond close Earth orbits require spacecraft to have small, low-mass, low-power radio transmitters and giant satellite dishes on Earth to receive their messages. However, the LADEE spacecraft will demonstrate the use of lasers instead of radio waves to achieve broadband speeds to communicate with Earth.
The timing of this along with the shut down of the space fence and incoming arrival of ISON at the end of November is definitely worth noting:
http://www.space.com/22354-space-fence- ... lance.html
