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Mini-RF
The Miniature Radio-Frequency instrument (Mini-RF) is a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instrument on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which is currently in orbit around the Moon. It has a resolution of 30 m/pixel and two wavelength bands, a primary band at 12.6 cm and a secondary band at 4.2 cm. Overview Previous SAR instruments, such as the radar on the Magellan mission to Venus, were large, massive, power-hungry, and expensive. Intended as a demonstration of cheap, lightweight SAR technology, the Mini-RF instrument was designed in response to these concerns. Because it was a technology demonstration, Mini-RF is sometimes not included in lists of LRO's instruments. Radar is one of the few remote sensing tools capable of distinguishing water ice from other forms of water thought to be present of the Moon, such as hydrated minerals and water adsorbed onto the lunar surface. Although the LCROSS mission, which deliberately crashed a probe into the lunar su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
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Lunar Water
The search for the presence of lunar water has attracted considerable attention and motivated several recent lunar missions, largely because of water's usefulness in making long-term lunar habitation feasible. The Moon is believed to be generally anhydrous after analysis of Apollo mission soil samples. It is understood that any water vapor on the surface would generally be decomposed by sunlight, leaving hydrogen and oxygen lost to outer space. However, subsequent robotic probes found evidence of water, especially of water ice in some permanently shadowed craters on the Moon; and in 2018 water ice was confirmed in multiple locations.Water and Ices on the Moon" ''science.nasa.gov'', fetched 11 June 2024 This water ice is not in the form of sheets of ice on the surface nor just under the surface, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |