ESA intends to launch a lunar exploration spacecraft named SMART-1 in early '03 that has a small chance of quashing some HB arguments. It will be carrying a miniaturized camera for mapping the lunar surface which should produce a resolution of about 50m/pixel. Since the planned orbit will carry the spacecraft over each Apollo landing site, it seems that under ideal conditions of lighting, it might be possible to detect the landing stages or their shadows through the use of appropriate analysis of multiple images, as in CAT. The site that discusses the mission is http://sci.esa.int/home/smart-1/index.cfm. Obviously, not too much should be staked on this approach, because at this resolution, a single frame would reveal nothing. What do the resident experts think about the possibility of useful evidence coming from SMART?

The site mentions something called "The Peak of Eternal light"; it is a polar formation on which the sun never sets; it apparently overlooks the basin in which the sun never rises and where ice deposits may be located. Sounds like a good place to look for monoliths, hm?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: roidspop on 2002-05-04 22:48 ]</font>

May 5, 2002 6:05 A.M. PST

One problem: This is depandant on Ariene 5 actually getting off the launch pad: Quite a feat in itself, considering last time they loaded in the Ariene 4 launch software. D'oh!

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There's only one Harry Kroto! One Harry Kroto! [repeat]

I visited an Ariene rocket motor factory while in France. It is mentioned in all the guff about the area around Vernon. 'Home of the Ariene booster factory' or something like that. So I followed the signs, and a bloke with a gun stopped me at the gate and wanted to know (in French) just what I was doing there. I don't speak French, and he didn't speak English, so he took me at gunpoint to the reception area, where they explained to me that they didn't have a visitors centre and I should go away. So I went away, very fast, and looked at Monet's garden and his little pink house.

They had guards there too, to stop you taking photos, but they had no guns. Do you want to see the pics I took? [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: johnwitts on 2002-05-05 19:31 ]</font>

Sounds like normal French civility.

The Monet pics would be nice, thanks. Just jigger them a bit so the sky is black and the full Earth is above his house; want to stay on the lunar theme.

As to Ariane V, actually it seems to have been very successful with that spectacular '96 flop being the only real failure I've found.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: roidspop on 2002-05-06 03:04 ]</font>

Ariene 5 was due to be fully inservice by 1994: Along with a small 3 man shuttle called "Hermes" and a spacestation called "Columbus". So, not too spectacular, but I did like the fireworks when they blew up Ariene 5 [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

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Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

John you have got to stop trying to break into those secret govt. sites. The russain officials are still fuming over your spray painting the soyuz capsules with a add for apollohoax. :-)

Would a 50m/pixel resolution be enougth to see something that is mucy smaller than 50m? I guess the only thing you would be able to see is the shadow if it is elongated. I wonder if the HB'ers will say the pics are doctored.

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GIYUL :-)
"It takes Thousands to fight a battle for a mile, Millions to hold an election for a nation, but it only takes One to change the world." - Dan Sandler 2002

No matter what is on pictures taken of the landing sites the HBs will say they are fake. Whichever country gets there and brings back evidence that the landers and other jetsam are exactly where (and what) they should be, will simply be in cahoots with NASA. Columbia was destroyed because NASA is spending all its shuttle maintenance budget on buying continued silence from Russia et al with respect to Apollo. I bet China is going to be REALLY expensive to co-opt if they ever get to the Moon.

From that story it sounds like you would enjoy KSC more (unless you have already been).

Europe's first Moon probe prepares for launch ... at the end of this month.

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Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

In the ALSJ there is a hi-res picture taken from the CSM, of the A-15 site that shows the area around the LM is brighter than the surrounding terrain, from the descent stage exhaust. It would be interesting to see if the landing sites are still brighter since weathering on the moon is so slow. Of course the HB's won't believe it. [-(

There's more info on the web

http://www.esa.int/images/euronews_smart-1_03_L.jpg

http://www.euronews.net/create_html....&amp;langue=en

Video :
Destination Moon - European Space Agency's Smart One satellite spiralling into position above the moon's south pole. Mapping the area and preparing for a possible lunar colonisation
they also have info on Soyuz in Kourou and NASA's Cassini-Huygens on that Euronews site

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