Kaguya (SELENE) – Sep 14, 2007 – Lunar Orbiter. A mission to - TopicsExpress

Kaguya (SELENE) – Sep 14, 2007 – Lunar Orbiter. A mission to do a global survey of the Moon, obtaining data on elemental abundance, mineralogical composition, topography, geology, gravity, and the lunar and solar-terrestrial plasma environments and to develop critical technologies for future lunar exploration Chang’e 1 – Oct. 24, 2007 – Lunar Orbiter. The primary science objectives are to obtain three-dimensional stereo images of the lunar surface, analyze the distribution and abundance of elements on the surface, survey the thickness of lunar soil and to evaluate helium-3 resources and other characteristics, and to explore the environment between the Moon and Earth. 2008 Chandrayaan-1 - Oct 22, 2008 – Lunar Orbiter. An Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) mission designed to orbit the Moon over a two year period with the objectives of upgrading and testing India’s technological capabilities in space and returning scientific information on the lunar surface. 2009 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS – June 17, 2009 – Lunar Orbiter and Impactor. The first mission of NASA’s Robotic Lunar Exploration Program, is designed to map the surface of the Moon and characterize future landing sites in terms of terrain roughness, usable resources, and radiation environment with the ultimate goal of facilitating the return of humans to the Moon.