In a replay of the Tempel 1 Deep Impact tests, NASA JPL has plans to send a similar object into the Moon.
The best part? You’ll be able to see it from Earth:
In that project, the SUV-sized upper stage that will take the equipment from Earth orbit to the moon will then crash into a crater near the moon’s south pole. A follow-on craft will then be able to analyze the material as it flies through the debris.
Mission managers said they would look for water, water vapor and hydrogen, among other elements and minerals.
The crash should create a 17-foot-deep crater and a plume of debris that reaches more than 30 miles high.
Amateur astronomers should be able to watch the material rise, officials said.
And to think that 50 years ago, we were afraid to send supersonic aircraft into the sky for fear we might “poke a hole” in the atmosphere. What’s better is that I actually understand the science behind what NASA is trying to do, which is something I would have ever been able to claim a year ago.
This is cool science.