Updates Ashes to ashes, dust to dust: NASA's LADEE lunar orbiter mission

[Cosmic Penguin]

NASA is now gearing up for the launch of a small lunar orbiter in August of this year. Named the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), the 500 kg probe will make a detailed survey of lunar dust kicking around the lunar orbit and how they varies around different parts and altitude above the Moon. It will also provide information on how much protection is needed for future human missions to the Moon against flying Moon dust.

The probe carries three instruments: a dust counter to directly measure dust variations, a ultraviolet/visual light band spectrometer and a neutral mass spectrometer (both will measure the composition of particles that compose the lunar "atmosphere"). In addition it will also perform a demonstration of laser communication at lunar orbit.

All science instruments have been installed on the spacecraft by October of last year, and by now the solar panels have also been installed.

More updates will be posted when they are available. In the meantime, read about the mission here and here!

 

[Keatah]

Everyone knows here that I'm a proponent of unmanned spaceflight. Missions like MER & Cassini are awesome in the science they've returned.

But I have to ask, sending a probe and using all these resources.. to do what? Study dust floating around the moon? What's the benefit in that? They say for future manned missions. By that time we'll need a whole new count!

 

[MattBaker]

Best part about the mission: Maiden launch of Minotaur V (an ALL solid rocket) and first lunar probe launched from Wallops Flight Facility.

Everyone knows here that I'm a proponent of unmanned spaceflight. Missions like MER & Cassini are awesome in the science they've returned.

But I have to ask, sending a probe and using all these resources.. to do what? Study dust floating around the moon? What's the benefit in that? They say for future manned missions. By that time we'll need a whole new count!

Well, we're currently at a point that will maybe change the Moon forever. I think it was discovered with Apollo that the Moon has some kind of atmosphere that is changed with all the stuff spacecrafts blow in there. It's already changed by Apollo and all the Probes, but it may be the last time we find the lunar atmosphere in a near-normal state, considering we might start colonizing the Moon.
And then this dust in the atmosphere is coming down at some point, which could also be important for lunar outposts, you don't want to get rid of it everyday (since there are maybe some plants who need sunlight?).
And last but not least, we build, use and prove new technology. The probe is equipped with an optical laser for communication, which would increase the data return. The current problem of missions like Curiosity is that we don't have enough band width, so maybe we use this technology on an "easy" and cheap mission before we use it for the billion-dollar-rover, where a failure...

These are all the reasons NASA states and I could think of, just think of it this way: The scientific data before colonizing the Moon are collected now, these missions decide when we will go there. It might not be in your lifetime, but your taxes could fund a mission changing the fate of mankind forever.

Or we could just say we do this because some scientists need work and no one realizes it when Americans spent $100 million on a probe, while the DoD uses the same amount in less than two hours.

 

[RisingFury]

But I have to ask, sending a probe and using all these resources.. to do what? Study dust floating around the moon? What's the benefit in that? They say for future manned missions. By that time we'll need a whole new count!

This is most likely a technology demonstrator...

 

[orbitingpluto]

Typical space exploration mission, find out more about how it is out in space, only it's purpose is a bit arcane. Taken from the NASA link Galactic Penguin posted:

NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the lunar atmosphere, conditions near the surface and environmental influences on lunar dust. A thorough understanding of these characteristics will address long-standing unknowns, and help scientists understand other planetary bodies as well.

At least on the main mission page, NASA doesn't mention manned spaceflight. Wiki has manned spaceflight in all three of the the missions goals:

LADEE is a strategic mission that will address three major science goals:[4]

• Determine the global density, composition, and time variability of the fragile lunar atmosphere before it is perturbed by further human activity;
• Determine if the Apollo astronaut sightings of diffuse emission at 10s of km above the surface were Na glow or dust and;
• Document the dust impactor environment (size-frequency) to help guide design engineering for the outpost and also future robotic missions.

Number 2 could be argued as only tangentially linked to manned missions, and I'll agree that it is. So here's my question to you Keatah, now that you know a little more, is it worthwhile?


EDIT: Took my time composing my post, and now I'm the latest in a stream of replies. I hope you don't feel ganged up on Keatah.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Updates

Time to make an update since the launch is less than a month away - scheduled at 11:27 pm EDT on September 6 (03:27 UTC on September 7).

Thermal testing of the spacecraft was completed between late March and late April:

The spacecraft was trucked from Ames Research Center at San Francisco Bay to Wallops Island, Virginia last month, then immediately started the procedures for loading fuel:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y4CFJQMs4k"]NASA Ames LADEE Mission - Science Collection / Orbital Variation / Lunar Atmosphere[/ame]

BTW the launch of LADEE will also mark the debut of yet another "new" launch vehicle - Orbital's Minotaur V, although its difference with the already flown Minotaur IV is quite minimal - adding a solid Star-37FM 5th stage. Lots of new rockets debuting lately! :tiphat:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

4 days to launch!

Materials for reading:

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/LADEE-Press-Kit-08292013.pdf

http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/MissionUpdates/MinotaurV/files/LADEE-Mission-Overview.pdf

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/llcdfactsheet.final_.web_.pdf

http://www.nasa.gov/content/ladee-project-manager-update-ladee-ready-for-launch

http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-prepares-for-first-virginia-coast-launch-to-moon

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LADEE/news/why-ladee-matters.html

 

[llarian]

WRT Keatah's comments while the mission may not be exciting as compared to other missions, I think it is more significant as a demonstrator, whether technological, or in using Wallops as the launch site for a usable mission, plus a new launcher.

One must wonder why the use of Wallops, though. Moving farther north to launch a lunar mission? Rather than taking advantage of Earth's rotational velocity?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

WRT Keatah's comments while the mission may not be exciting as compared to other missions, I think it is more significant as a demonstrator, whether technological, or in using Wallops as the launch site for a usable mission, plus a new launcher.

One must wonder why the use of Wallops, though. Moving farther north to launch a lunar mission? Rather than taking advantage of Earth's rotational velocity?

Probably just because the launch vehicle, OSC's Minotaur IV/V series (based on the Peacekeeper ICBM, BTW), has not been launched from the Cape (where it can use SLC-46, although I don't think OSC has launched anything out of the Cape for a long time). Wallops has seen several launches of the Minuteman-based Minotaur I.

P.S. It turns out that LADEE was once planned to be launched along side with the GRAIL probes, now long since deceased. :tiphat:

 

[Unstung]

A video about LADEE's laser communication demonstration:

Now where's the moon base?

 

[wingnut]

What difference in precision is required to target a spaceship with a laser as opposed to currently used tracking equipment?

I suppose it would also be more difficult to acquire a probe in the outer solar system than one orbiting the Moon?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Go for launch in 12 hours!

 

[Kyle]

Coverage about to begin in 15 minutes.
http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv

 

[n122vu]

WRT Keatah's comments while the mission may not be exciting as compared to other missions, I think it is more significant as a demonstrator, whether technological, or in using Wallops as the launch site for a usable mission, plus a new launcher.

One must wonder why the use of Wallops, though. Moving farther north to launch a lunar mission? Rather than taking advantage of Earth's rotational velocity?

My understanding is that it is because the Minotaur 5 uses decommissioned missile components. There are arms agreements between the US and Russia that apparently determine exactly where rockets using components recycled from ICBMs can be launched from.

http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-spacecraft-investigate-moon-mystery-213442377.html

 

[ADSWNJ]

I wonder if the flightpath goes over Syria? (jk!)

I'm 300km due north of the lunch, and the predicted arc is around 15 degrees of azimuth here. Going to head over to a prominent rock cliff with a great southerly aspect to see if I can get any view of the launch. It's a beautiful evening, around 55F (12-13C) cloudless sky. Not expecting anything much, but who knows?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

East Coasters, step out of your home now and be ready to catch the rocket streaking over the sky!

Viewing guide: http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/MissionUpdates/MinotaurV/index.shtml

 

[Andy44]

No way I could see it. Too many trees and houses around me. If you're on a hill you could see it from DC, though.

Watching that launch vid, though, wow, that thing screams off the pad! Frightening to see how quick it was. Reminds you that's it's a recycled missile.

 

[Quick_Nick]

No way I could see it. Too many trees and houses around me. If you're on a hill you could see it from DC, though.

Watching that launch vid, though, wow, that thing screams off the pad! Frightening to see how quick it was. Reminds you that's it's a recycled missile.

I could swear ignition, liftoff, and tower-clear happened in a single frame. :lol:

 

[Kyle]

Wow! The Minotaur V screamed up hill like a bat outta hell! Blink and you'd have missed S1/2 sep.

TLI has been completed, LADEE is on the way to the Moon.

 

[Andy44]

TLI has been completed,

That's a phrase we need to hear more of outside of Orbiter Forum...

---------- Post added 09-07-13 at 12:00 AM ---------- Previous post was 09-06-13 at 11:56 PM ----------

Aaaaand, somebody in my neck of the woods caught it on video and posted it to youtube already!

This is from a few blocks away from the National Cathedral, in Washington, DC. You can see the Washington Monument in the lower right corner from his balcony, encased in lighted scaffolding.