Paris, France (ESA) Nov 15, 2004 - Since its Ariane launch from Kourou in September 2003, the small but remarkable SMART-1 satellite has been silently spiralling its way to the Moon. As from mid November, it will be captured by the lunar gravity.
Paris, France (ESA) Nov 05, 2004 - More than thirty years after the last Apollo mission to the Moon in 1972, there is still much that is unknown about earth's nearest satellite. Now with the aid of ESA's SMART-1, planetary scientists hope to gain new insights into how the moon was it created, and what role it played in the formation of Earth and the advent of life itself on Earth.
Paris, France (ESA) Oct 28, 2004 - On 25 October SMART-1 fired, for the last time, the electric propulsion engine. This small correction manoeuvre of about 4 hours was necessary to correct the slight over-performance of the engine during the last long burn of 100 hours (10-14 October) during the 'third resonance.
Moffett Field CA (SPX) Oct 27, 2004 - Skywatchers are about to be treated to a total lunar eclipse, just in time for Halloween. For more than an hour Wednesday night, the Earth's shadow will completely cover the moon - making it glow orange like a pumpkin.
Paris (ESA) Oct 19, 2004 - From 10 to 14 October the ion engine of ESA's Smart-1 carried out a continuous thrust manoeuvre in a last major push that will get the spacecraft to the Moon capture point on 13 November.
Washington - Jul 05, 2004 - By the time NASA's Apollo Program came to a close in December 1972, six crews of astronauts, six Apollo command modules, and more than 800 pounds of Moon rocks and lunar soil had been brought back to Earth. But some things were intentionally left behind.
Washington (UPI) Jun 02, 2004 - NASA's plan to fulfill President George W. Bush's space exploration effort suggests the agency will have to spend about $64 billion over the next 15 years to send U.S. astronauts back to the moon.
Washington - Mar 23, 2004 - Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong recently reflected on the history of the Space Age and looked ahead to future exploration plans, noting that our economy can certainly afford an effort of this magnitude.
Houston (UPI) March 19, 2004 - Scientists have discovered a mountain on the moon where the sun never sets, which might become the site of a U.S. moonbase.
Madison - Mar 02, 2004 - The scientific community now believes there is water on the Moon. To some, this suggests a grand opportunity, and so it can be. However, the Moon's water, if there, is thought to be located near the poles, in deep, permanently-shadowed craters, as ice that is possibly buried, or at least mixed with lunar regolith. Special equipment will be needed to mine this enabling resource. A practical way to go after the lunar water is with the resources of a lunar colony.
Washington (UPI) Mar 01, 2004 - NASA's plan to implement President George W. Bush's moon-Mars-beyond space vision will use small incremental steps called space policy building blocks, according to documents just released by the agency.
Paris (ESA) Feb 09, 2004 - The spacecraft is now in its 207th orbit, in good status and with all functions performing nominally. As in previous weeks, the ion drive has only generated thrust around the perigee point to fine-tune the altitude of the apogee point. This strategy has produced a noticeable increase in apogee height, see plot below, which is necessary to minimize the duration of eclipse periods that will occur during March.
Paris - Jan 27, 2004 - The spacecraft is now in its 194th orbit, in good status and with all functions performing nominally. As in previous weeks, the ion drive has only generated thrust around the perigee point to fine-tune the altitude of the apogee point. This strategy has produced a noticeable increase in apogee height, see plot below, which is necessary to minimize the duration of eclipse periods that will occur during March.
Paris - Jan 19, 2004 - The spacecraft is now in its 187th orbit, in good status and with all functions performing nominally. In order to fine tune the altitude of the apogee point, required to minimise the length of the eclipses due to occur in March, the ion drive is currently being used only when the spacecraft is around perigee. This strategy will last until the end of January.
Paris - Jan 01, 2004 - The spacecraft is now in its 169th orbit, in good status and with all functions performing nominally. The spacecraft has been functioning in electric propulsion mode for the whole week, continuously thrusting since the flame-out and subsequent entry into safe mode last week.
Paris (ESA) Jan 07, 2004 - The spacecraft is now in its 176th orbit, in good status and with all functions performing nominally. The first mission target, namely to exit the most dangerous part of the radiation belts, has been achieved! The pericentre altitude (the closest distance of the spacecraft from the centre of the Earth) will reach the prelaunch target of 20 000 km on 7 January 2004.
