On July 31, 1999, NASA's Lunar Prospector mission ended with a dive into the south pole of the Moon. Lunar Prospector was part of the Discovery Program, NASA's attempt at creating "faster, better, cheaper" planetary missions. A mission goal would be outlined, budget set and open to just about anybody. If an industry, team of students, or government lab felt they could accomplish the task for the money, they could submit a proposal to a review committee. If the proposal was selected, a mission was created.
Lunar Prospector was the third mission in this program. It was designed to return to the Moon in a low polar orbit and conduct experiments. Among these experiments was the search for water ice. The final act of Lunar Prospector was to impact the Moon to search for ice under the surface of the South Pole.
Lunar Prospector carried a cargo of 28 grams of the remains of a person. When the craft buried itself in the Moon, it buried the first and only person to be buried on the moon. Find out who it was and what else occurred on this day in science history.
Lunar Prospector was the third mission in this program. It was designed to return to the Moon in a low polar orbit and conduct experiments. Among these experiments was the search for water ice. The final act of Lunar Prospector was to impact the Moon to search for ice under the surface of the South Pole.
Lunar Prospector carried a cargo of 28 grams of the remains of a person. When the craft buried itself in the Moon, it buried the first and only person to be buried on the moon. Find out who it was and what else occurred on this day in science history.
Comments
My guess was Gene Roddenberry. Nope!
I wonder if they plan to have more people “buried” on the moon? Who would get to do it?