TAMPA BAY, FL - NASA plans to crash a rocket into the moon this morning, blasting a huge hole in the lunar surface to search for hidden water.
The explosion, scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Florida time, is expected to visible with from Earth using amateur telescopes, according to NASA.
It's also expected to be aired live by NASA-TV and on
www.nasa.gov/ntv.
According to
NASA's website, the Centaur rocket will make impact at the Moon's south pole.
Scientists tell
Scientific American Magazine that they expect the blast to be so powerful that a huge plume of debris will be ejected.
A spacecraft will fly through the debris plume, sending data back to Earth before crashing into the lunar surface and creating a second debris plume, according to NASA's website.
Why blast a hole in the moon? NASA wants to see if any water, ice or vapor is revealed in the cloud of debris. If there is, that might provide supplies for a future manned moonbase.
Friday's explosion is part of
NASA's LCROSS (Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite) mission looking for lunar water.
Will you get up early to watch? Click 'add a comment' at the bottom of this page to soundoff.
