Research & technology will focus on lunar poles in a concise way never seen before. More: Flight Director's
NASA: LRO exactmap
VIDEO: Remembering one year ago: VIEW.
Horizons can be used to generate topocentric ephemeris data; and I'm hoping for (like-polar) mapping to highlight water-breakthroughs for all those in need, on earth!
LCROSS now right in line w the sun, 5 hr Right Ascension, which is where the sun is this time of yr & it's new moon! [twitter]
"We did (laser altimetry) for Mars and it revolutionised our understanding of that planet. It's going to do that for the Moon." Read.NASA family’s current Missions: VIEW.
UPDATE: The trajectory has been updated accordingly in Horizons (based on navigation team planning), for those who want to track it, or avoid confusing it for an asteroid in Earth vicinity.... It is well noted : Here.
LCROSS_NASA at Twitter: Here.
It looks massive! VIEW VIDEO: BIG SCREEN
VIEW Prep: The Atlas V rocket, without the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite spacecraft atop, was rolled to the launch pad at Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air.
Ten hours ago"4hrs since launch, LCROSS traveled at 3.5 km/s (~8000 mph), at 48,907 km from Earth. Another 311,000 km or so to go to reach Lunar swingby!"
Wonderful to create an artificial moon satellite...
Perhaps a better understanding of atmospheric transfer of moisture, to areas of earth, suffering from extreme drought...
