Così recita il comunicato ufficiale rilasciato oggi.
L’orbiter è in costruzione al centro di volo spaziale del Goddard della NASA a Greenbelt, Md. Gli strumenti saranno forniti da varie organizzazioni degli Stati Uniti e della Russia, e creeranno una mappa globale della Luna; determineranno quale potenziale sito di atterraggio sia il meno rischioso; misureranno le caratteristiche di illuminazione e temperatura dei poli lunari; e cercheranno potenziali risorse, come ad esempio l’acqua; e infine valuteranno i tassi di radioattività dello spazio profondo per stimarne gli effetti potenziali sugli esseri umani.
May 18, 2006Michael Braukus/Dolores Beasley
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-1979/1753Nancy Neal Jones
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(301) 286-0039RELEASE: 06-224
NASA SET TO LAUNCH LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER IN 2008
After successful completion of its mission confirmation review on
Wednesday, May 17, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project has
been given the authority to proceed to the implementation phase.The confirmation review represents NASA’s formal decision for
authorizing additional work and sets the project’s cost estimate. The
mission was deemed to be within budget and on schedule to launch in
October 2008.After a 30-year hiatus, the orbiter represents NASA’s first step
towards returning humans to the moon. The spacecraft will spend an
unprecedented year mapping the moon from an average altitude of
approximately 30 miles. It will carry six instruments and one
technology demonstration to conduct investigations specifically
targeted at preparing for future human exploration.The orbiter is being built at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in
Greenbelt, Md. The instruments are being provided by various
organizations throughout the U.S. and one in Russia. The instruments
will generate a global map of the moon; to determine which potential
landing sites are free from hazards; to measure light and temperature
patterns at the moon’s poles; to search for potential resources, such
as water; and to assess the deep-space radiation environment and its
potential effects on humans.The next spacecraft milestone is the critical design review, scheduled
for later this year. This review represents the completion of
detailed system designs and marks the transition into the
manufacturing, assembly, and integration phase of the mission
development cycle.For information about NASA’s exploration efforts and the Lunar
Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, visit:http://www.nasa.gov/exploration
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