NASA launches robotic explorer to moon, orbiting craft will study lunar atmosphere, dust

[Judi Lynn]

NASA launches robotic explorer to moon, orbiting craft will study lunar atmosphere, dust
By Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press September 7, 2013 3:10 AM

NASA's newest robotic explorer rocketed into space late Friday in an unprecedented moonshot from Virginia that dazzled sky watchers along the East Coast of the U.S.

But the LADEE spacecraft quickly ran into equipment trouble, and while NASA assured everyone early Saturday that the lunar probe was safe and on a perfect track for the moon, officials acknowledged the problem needs to be resolved in the next two to three weeks.

S. Peter Worden, director of NASA's Ames Research Center in California, which developed the spacecraft, told reporters he's confident everything will be working properly in the next few days.

LADEE's reaction wheels were turned on to orient and stabilize the spacecraft, which was spinning too fast after it separated from the final rocket stage, Worden said. But the computer automatically shut the wheels down, apparently because of excess current. He speculated the wheels may have been running a little fast.

More:
http://www.canada.com/technology/NASA+launches+robotic+explorer+moon+orbiting+craft+will+study+lunar/8881287/story.html

[Warren DeMontague]

1. I think they need a rule, that if they can't come up with an acronym that sounds at least halfway

not-lame, they should just give it an actual name. With "LADEE" all I can think of is Mike Myers doing a bad Scottish accent.

For some reason Moon probes seem to be the worst. LCROSS? What is that supposed to sound like- LaCrosse?

But the big-ticket missions get respectable names. Juno. New Horizons. Cassini. Voyager.

Still, name aside, I think the science should be interesting.