NASA Launches Unmanned Moon Rocket In Search For Water

NASA will launch an unmanned rocket today that will blast to the Moon and shoot a missile into the lunar surface. The probes will hunt for hidden ice found in the debris from the blast that will be the result of the impact.

Yesterday, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) made their slow roll to the launch complex 41 looking sharp in the scorching 90 degree weather. Weighing much less than the Space Shuttle, the roll was very quick and only took 35 minutes to complete.

One interesting fact about the LRO is that it will be carrying 1.6 million passengers along with it. No, they aren't actually onboard of course - instead there is a microchip onboard that has all of the names from around the world that were collected in the "Send Your Name to the Moon" campaign.

The LCROSS will spend a total of four months orbiting the Earth before heading to the Moon. At the time of separation, LCROSS will send the 42 foot, 5200 pound rocket directly into the moon and at the same time creating the biggest man made firework show in history. The aftermath will result in a 66 foot wide and 13 foot deep hole in the lunar surface.

Once the impact has been made, tons of material will be blasted into the air from the Moon that hasn't seen the day of light in over a billion years. While all of this is going on, LCROSS will quickly scan for water ice and other data before it too impacts into the moon's surface.

And then as the dust settles, LRO will continue to circle, and scan and send back data, taking images of the Apollo landing sites, cataloging craters and mountains and boulders. Until humans can once again do it in person.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite are set to lift off together aboard an Atlas V rocket on Thursday, June 18, at 5:12 p.m. EDT. Two additional launch opportunities are available at 5:22 p.m. and 5:32 p.m.