LADEE Science Results and Implications for Exploration

Elphic, R. C.; M. Horanyi; Colaprete, A.; Benna; Mahaffy, P.; Delory, G. T.; Noble, S. K.; Halekas, J. S.; Hurley, D. M.; Stubbs, T. J.; Saratos, M.; Kempf, S.; Poppe, A.; Szalay, J.; Sternovsky, Z.; Cooke, A. M.; Wooden, D. H.; Glenar, D.

NASA NTRS · 20160000571

LADEE Science Results and Implications for Exploration

Elphic, R. C.·M. Horanyi·Colaprete, A.·Benna·Mahaffy, P.·Delory, G. T.·Noble, S. K.·Halekas, J. S.·Hurley, D. M.·Stubbs, T. J.·Saratos, M.·Kempf, S.·Poppe, A.·Szalay, J.·Sternovsky, Z.·Cooke, A. M.·Wooden, D. H.·Glenar, D.

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Abstract

NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer, LADEE, concluded a fully successful investigation of the Moon's tenuous gas and dust atmosphere on April 18, 2014. LADEE hosted three science instruments to address atmospheric and dust objectives, and a technology demonstration of deep-space optical communication. The three science instruments were an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer (UVS), a neutral mass spectrometer (NMS), and a lunar dust experiment (LDEX). All data acquired by these instruments have been submitted to the Planetary Data System. A mission overview and science instrument descriptions are readily available. LADEE inserted into a low-altitude, retrograde lunar orbit optimized for observations at the sunrise terminator, where surface temperatures rise abruptly. LADEE also carried out observations over a wide range of local times and altitudes. Here we describe some of the initial results.

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LADEE a lunar dust experiment (LDEX)ultraviolet-visible spectrometer (UVS)neutral mass spectrometer (NMS)Moon

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Elphic, R. C., M. Horanyi, Colaprete, A., Benna, Mahaffy, P., Delory, G. T., Noble, S. K., Halekas, J. S., Hurley, D. M., Stubbs, T. J., Saratos, M., Kempf, S., Poppe, A., Szalay, J., Sternovsky, Z., Cooke, A. M., Wooden, D. H., Glenar, D.. 2015-10-20. LADEE Science Results and Implications for Exploration. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20160000571

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