http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23470-2003Apr3.html
A satellite that relies on solar power to put it into orbit around the moon was unveiled Thursday by the European Space Agency, which plans to use the spacecraft in Europe's first attempt at a lunar exploration. The craft, known as the Smart-1, will be launched in July for a two-year mission orbiting the moon to look for water, believed to be hidden deep in craters on the lunar surface.
The first thing I thought "Wouldn't it be funny if the rocket scientists accidentally think that they are using 'moonshine' to power the vehicle?" Not corn whisky, although that would be funny also, but reflected sunlight.
Scientists at the European agency believe the engines will be an indispensable part of making longer space voyages to Mercury and Mars.
<Serious>If a vehicle was launched towards Mercury (why we would want to go there?.......) could the spacecraft float towards the sun, being pulled by gravity, then be captured by Mercury? Or isn't the pull that strong, or is it too touch to calculate?</serious>
"It's believed that about the moon will be 80 percent composed of Earth material," Foing said.
Spoken like every assistant graduate teacher I ever had.
Question: 80%? You mean like rocks and iron and stuff? What is the remaining 20%, dark and anti-matter? Magic dust?
rob
Kevin T. - VRWC I hate cutting up articles like this
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