[ENG] SMART-1 Begins Moon Investigation

[Dead Parrot]

More space news - I love this stuff!

In late 2003 the European Space Agency launched the ion powered SMART-1 probe (SMART = Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology) on a mission to our own moon.

The spacecraft achieved lunar orbit last November, and just a couple of days ago began it's investigation of our natural sattelite. SMART-1 is an orbiter only, and will not land on the moon.

Here is a link to a news story with the first images that SMART-1 sent back of the lunar surface.

http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050124/ ... 24-11.html

This is a link to the ESA page about SMART-1. Very good summary and a list of the experiments that the spacecraft will carry out.

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object ... ctid=31410

Also check out the link on the ESA page about electric spacecraft propulsion.

DP