The lunar probe LADEE

The lunar probe »LADEE« (short for: Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer) of the American space agency NASA, launched successfully into space, for further exploration of the Moon. A probe is an unmanned flying object, which can fly through space or circle orbs and thereby sends data to Earth via radio.

The take-off of the approx. 250 million dollar mission was a media event and went without complications.

LADEE will orbit the exosphere of the Moon (this is the outer layer of an atmosphere, the smooth transition to interplanetary space) for a few months and collect data. This should include the continuous research of the ice formation at the lunar poles.

Incidentally, after this lunar mission it’s going to be it for now, because money is scarce and investments towards Mars are preferred. This is quite alright, far away destinations are always a little bit more interesting than what is nearby …