ScienceCasts: NASA Mission Seeks Lunar Air

A NASA spacecraft slated for launch in September will fly to the Moon to investigate the tenuous lunar atmosphere. Researchers hope "LADEE" will solve a mystery that has been puzzling them since the days of Apollo.

[MaxStax]

"the black guy you are probably talking about is Neil DeGrasse Tyson, yes he is black, a scientist is debatable, as he has never published a single solitary scientific paper, he just goes around doing photo shoots, and were he white would be a average middle school science teacher at best, , but since he's black people are amazed that a black man could get the title of scientist, , which of coarse he doesn't deserve in any way shape of form.yes he was hired on the afermitive action plan.

[AnewStart]

The equations which put the lunar module on the moon followed a specific set of equations, and if they were out, even by then the mission would of failed. The reason i mentioned Apollo8 because then Apollo11/12/14/15/16 and 17 would of recorded these rays of light with a camera instead of relying on pictures hand drawn from memory!...And finally...The suits. Well, they must be the safest radiation suits in history!

[AnewStart]

OK, first off, if there is an atmosphere on the moon then surely the maths that put man on the moon would of been out somewhat, therefore unable to land the lunar module as documented! Another thing; how come non of the astronauts didn't film these rays with the hasselblad camera instead of drawing them...And why no mention of this after Apollo 8? Finally, why not give the scientists in Japan the astronauts space suits so they can clean up the radio active mess left by the tsunami?

[EmissionGaming]

There is this Project under-way for a Telescope - aswell as Asteroid Exploration. Science never just focuses on the 1 area.

[aserta]

Because there's other things tied to the word terraforming that are not distance. Ie size and potential. Yes you'd choose the moon over an asteroid but not the moon over mars. Of course i'm talking hypothetical but over all the benefits of terraforming mars are far greater and there's also the matter of gravity. Whilst mars is not as close to earth as it to be comfortable it's better than the moon.

[Originaluncleagent]

you ever think HUMANS will land on the Moon? Just KIDDING! I have
a Neil Armstrong autograph from a couple months after he walked on the Moon.
I have his, along with John Glenn Jrs.autograph- both with framed photos of these two men; their respective space vehicles (in scale model form) displayed below each on shelves. What an HONOR to have them!

[launchpad]

That is a fair point. Would the lower gravity have a significant effect on things like plumbing, agriculture or a breathable atmosphere? And would lower gravity simply be a nuisance to the colonists or would there be negative long term health effects, like muscular dystrophy?

[launchpad]

I have seen sci-fi books and movies talk about terraforming mars for colonization; but, if the moon is so much closer and already has a tenuous atmosphere, why wouldn't we just terraform the moon? Is this possible and could it be something to be explored in the future?

[petethompson]

What is the ultimate purpose of this mission? I see no reason to waste resources on such frivolous missions just for the science of it that does no good for advancement of science. No wonder NASA is always in financial trouble.

[KijasCQ]

The equations help get there 99% of the way, the rest is set on local sensors.
Picture cant capture the rays cus of Exposure limitations. If you expose for rays, the rest of the picture will be blown out.
And yes... the suits are very safe for radiation, that's why they cost so much.

[Wtcthsky]

Trace amounts of oxygen and nitrogen. It's not what we would consider an atmosphere in any sense of the word. Certainly not enough to have interfered with any of our Apollo missions.

[theybzguy]

my thought on this.a reflection from earth, A view through cosmic mirror through the combination of a gamma wave energy reflecting of the electromagnetic force cased by earth, the moon sits just on the out skirts of earths magnetic fields.

[TheXxkornmunkyx]

OK I'm happy with the science going on, but don't you think we could be funding cooler science instead of this? For example Europa, asteroids or telescopes?

[Vierotchka]

Neil DeGrasse Tyson is black? I never noticed that. What I have noticed is his vast knowledge and intelligence, his excellent sense of humor, and his remarkable communication skills.

[MyServent]

I agree. Also, I'm not quite sure what they mean "Final Impact" and "Study until the very end"? Do they plan to just wreck the damn thing? O.O

[mehmetfy]

What the fuck? So LADEE will operate for only 6-7 months? Why send such a expensive spacecraft to Moon when there is a danger coming for it?..

[mykz]

Well Theirs more money that ''WE'' cant afford to fund another stupid useless project, Really to find on the moon.

[YeshuaAgapao]

April 15 2014 is the first of a tetrad of total lunar eclipses that fall on the 2 major jewish holidays (passover and sukkoth) two years in a row

[mortwind]

They need power to keep the spacecraft from freezing. I don't think NASA can spare the plutonium that's needed without sunlight.

[Sextasmogorian_of_Old_Phyrexia]

so, the solar radiation electrically charges the particles on the liner surface. Big check next to Electric Universe theory.