Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite Project

LCROSS
 INTRODUCTION
 The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing
Satellite (LCROSS) was a robotic spacecraft
operated by NASA.

 The total manufacturing cost of LCROSS was $79

million.

 It was launched together with the Lunar

Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).
 LCROSS Goals 3

The LCROSS mission goals:

• Confirm the presence or absence of

water ice in a permanently shadowed
region on the Moon

• Identify the form/state of hydrogen

observed by at the lunar poles

• Quantify, if present, the amount of

water in the lunar surface, with
respect to hydrogen concentrations

• Characterize the lunar surface within

a permanently shadowed crater on
the Moon
 INSTRUMENTS 4

The LCROSS consists of a

total of nine instruments:
• one visible cameras
• two near infrared cameras
• two mid-infra- red
cameras
• one visible spectrometer
• two near-infrared
spectrometers
• one photometer.
 MISSION OVERVIEW

• Launch on
June 18,2009.

• LCROSS and Centaur

separate on Oct.8,2009
 MISSION OVERVIEW

• Centaur crashes on
moon on Oct.9,2009
11:31(CUT) in to the
main Cabeus Crater.

• LCROSS crashes after

4 mins. at 11:35(CUT).
 RESULT

• On Nov.13th , 2009 , NASA reported that

water is present in a very low concentration
i.e 10 ppm in southern lunar crater CABEUS.

• Oxygen is present in mineral form.

• Hydroxyl ion was present on the debri plume.

 CONCLUSION

 The key element Hydrogen could make

rocket fuel production practical on the Moon.

 The moon is a stepping stone to future

exploration of other bodies in our solar
system.
 THANK YOU 9

Lunar CRater
Observation and
Sensing Satellite

LCROSS

• Prepared by-
Jyotirmayee Rautia
Trusna Meher
Pallavi Ray