NASA's
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO,
has begun environmental testing in a
thermal vacuum that simulates the
harsh rigors of space.
RIGHT:
LRO being placed into the chamber.
The spacecraft, built at NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center in
Greenbelt, Md., has been lifted into
a four-story thermal vacuum chamber
there for a test that will last
approximately five weeks. Once
sealed in the chamber, the satellite
will undergo a series of tests that
simulate the space environment it
will encounter when it orbits the
moon.
During the tests, NASA engineers
will operate the spacecraft to
ensure it is performing as planned.
The project also will conduct
mission simulations to further train
and develop the team that will
operate the spacecraft.
"This is an exciting time for our
project" said Cathy Peddie, LRO
deputy project manager at Goddard.
"Thermal vacuum testing is one of
our major milestones. Not only are
we checking out LRO in a test
facility that most closely matches
its final destination, but we are
getting more 'hands-on' time
operating LRO as we will see it next
year at the moon."
The orbiter will carry seven
instruments to provide scientists
with detailed maps of the lunar
surface and enhance our
understanding of the moon's
topography, lighting conditions,
mineralogical composition and
natural resources. Information
gleaned from LRO will be used to
select safe landing sites, determine
locations for future lunar outposts
and help to mitigate radiation
dangers to astronauts.
The orbiter will be shipped to
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida early next year to be
prepared for its April 24 launch
aboard an Atlas V rocket.
Accompanying the spacecraft will be
the Lunar Crater Observation and
Sensing Satellite, a mission that
will impact the moon's surface in
its search for water ice.
