NASA’s LADEE Begins Collecting Scientific Data on Lunar Atmosphere

NASA's unmanned robotic explorer LADEE that made its successful entry into the lunar orbit in the month of October is now all set to accumulate scientific data about the moon.

In a latest announcement, NASA stated that the small car-sized explorer called the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) entered its planned orbit around the moon's equator on Nov. 20 and is now ready to collect data on the lunar atmosphere. The current position of LADEE allows it to make frequent passes through the lunar day and night which will offer a complete picture of the changes and processes taking place within the lunar atmosphere.

The $280-million LADEE currently orbits the moon every two hours at an altitude of 8-37 miles above the surface of the moon. For the initial 100 days, the spacecraft will accumulate detailed information about the structure and composition of the thin lunar atmosphere and at the same time will resolve whether the dust present in the lunar atmosphere is rising into the lunar sky.

On Nov. 20, it was confirmed that LADEE performed a burn of its orbital control system in order to lower the spacecraft into the right position for the scientific expedition.

"A thorough understanding of the characteristics of our lunar neighbor will help researchers understand other small bodies in the solar system, such as asteroids, Mercury, and the moons of outer planets," Sarah Noble, LADEE program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington said in a statement.

Apart from this the data gathered will help scientists study the atmospheric conditions especially during the lunar sunrise and sunset.  Missions conducted earlier detected a bizarre glow of rays and streams that blast into the lunar sky.

LADEE, the first probe to be launched beyond the Earth's orbit was blasted off on September 6, 2013 from the Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, at 11. 27 p.m. EDT. Aboard LADEE is NASA's Lunar Laser communication demonstration (LLCD)-the first system for two way communication. In October LLCD set a record of using pulsed laser beam to transmit data between moon and Earth covering a distance of 239,000 miles at a record smashing download rate of 622 megabits per second.

"Due to the lumpiness of the moon's gravitational field, LADEE's orbit requires significant maintenance activity with maneuvers taking place as often as every three to five days, or as infrequently as once every two weeks," said Butler Hine, LADEE project manager at Ames. "LADEE will perform regular orbital maintenance maneuvers to keep the spacecraft's altitude within a safe range above the surface that maximizes the science return."

LADEE is expected to wind up its scientific expedition in 2014 after which it will gear up for a suicidal entry into the Earth's orbit.