LCROSS Impact to Prove Water is on the Moon

On October 9th, 2009, NASA will be hitting the Moon with a probe from its satellite called LCROSS. NASA is doing this to prove that there is water on the Moon. NASA is performing two impacts, so its data that it will be gathering should be decent and most likely correct. The site that was chosen for the impact of the probe is the crater Cabeus A. This crater is located on the Moon’s south pole. Scientists believe that there is ice located on the south pole of the Moon because the Moon is under permanent shadow in that region, which in turn acts as a refrigerator. Millions of years ago the Moon was hit will many comets and scientists believe that that is how the ice came to be on the Moon. The comet would eventually break down and deposit water. This water would settle into the crater that was left behind from the comet and freeze from the consent darkness.
The water is hard to detect on the Moon so that is why NASA is hitting the Moon with a probe. When the probe hits the Moon with its high impact, the ice will break and the water particles will then be able to be detected once they fly up into the air and past the lunar surface. The article states that it will be a spectacular view from Earth. However, it can only be seen if you have a telescope.
Hitting the Moon with a high speed probe is a good way for trying to figure out if there is water on the Moon. It is important to know if there is possible life or provisions for life on other planets and stars. However, is NASA positive that by doing this it will be able to prove that there is water on the Moon. By hitting the Moon, it may just throw off a bunch of debris that makes up the Moon and not actually the ice and water that they say is located on the Moon. NASA may be a few inches off and miss the impact of the crater Cabeus A and have to perform the impact again. To prevent this, NASA has to be extremely accurate with its measurements and calculations so that its impact is not wasted. NASA also has to gain the citizens trust in that this impact on the Moon will not do more harm than good and that it will benefit science and the people.