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Horizons

NASA moon bombing: It's true, but don't worry

On Friday, NASA will bomb a crater in hopes of finding water vapor on the moon.

By Amy Farnsworth / October 8, 2009



UPDATE:  NASA has successfully "bombed" the moon.  Click here for the story.

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Have you heard?

NASA is going to bomb the moon Friday morning.

Well, sort of...

On Friday, NASA will send a spacecraft, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), to destroy a crater near the south pole of the moon in search of water ice. (You can watch NASA's $79 million LCROSS mission live tomorrow morning – right here.)

In September, we reported the sighting of water on the moon. Now, NASA is searching for more evidence.

The satellite (LCROSS) will deploy an interior rocket, named Centaur, and strike the moon's Cabeus crater at 6,000 miles per hour, around 7:30 a.m. EDT on Friday morning. After Centaur slams into the crater, NASA will use the remaining satellite before it crashes to measure a pair of debris plumes – which may include water vapor – for water ice. Shortly afterward, the satellite will crash into the moon.

Some people may be able to view the crash through telescopes that are 10 inches or larger, according to NASA. For more details on viewing the collision from your backyard, click here.

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