Europe moon probe - SMART-1
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E-mail CNTV.CN, November 28, 2013
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Europe's SMART-1 spacecraft has struck the Moon, mimicking this artist's view of a small but powerful meteor strike on the lunar surface. Shown here is "ejecta" or the spray of debris that follows a natural or a human-made impact, unimpeded by gravity or atmosphere.[Space.com] |
![Europe's SMART-1 spacecraft has struck the Moon, mimicking this artist's view of a small but powerful meteor strike on the lunar surface. Shown here is 'ejecta' or the spray of debris that follows a natural or a human-made impact, unimpeded by gravity or atmosphere.[Space.com]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20131128/001aa0ba3c6a1401294806.jpg "Europe's SMART-1 spacecraft has struck the Moon, mimicking this artist's view of a small but powerful meteor strike on the lunar surface. Shown here is 'ejecta' or the spray of debris that follows a natural or a human-made impact, unimpeded by gravity or atmosphere.[Space.com]")
SMART-1 is the first of European Space Agency (ESA)'s Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology. It travelled to the Moon using solar-electric propulsion and carrying a battery of miniaturised instruments.
As well as testing new technology, SMART-1 did the first comprehensive inventory of key chemical elements in the lunar surface.
It also investigated the theory that the Moon was formed following the violent
collision of a smaller planet with Earth, four and a half thousand million years ago.
Launched: 27 September 2003
Status: Arrived in lunar orbit, 15 November 2004. After having conducted lunar orbit science operations, its mission ended through lunar impact on 3 September 2006.
Notes: SMART-1 was the first European spacecraft to travel to and orbit around the Moon.
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