ABSL Powers NASA Moon Impact

ABSL Space Products proudly leaves its mark on the moon

NASA’s LCROSS Satellite, powered by an ABSL Space Products Lithium battery system, successfully executed a controlled lunar impact at 1136 GMT on October 9th, 2009 in search of vital scientific answers.

The impact force required to obtain the moon’s surface information was tremendous – the equivalent of a large SUV hitting the moon’s surface at over 5,600 mph. The impact excavated a crater about 1/3 of a football field wide and about the depth of the deep end of a swimming pool. The amount of material ejected could fill ten school buses, or ten Space Shuttle cargo bays. The plume reached altitudes as high as 6.2 miles above the lunar surface. Study of the particles within the plume allows crucial assessment of the moon’s surface in hope of finding the presence of water.

LCROSS is seeking definitive answers about the presence of water ice at the lunar poles. Water is a resource of high value to lunar explorers enabling the establishment of a permanent human lunar presence. LCROSS has used the spent second stage Atlas Centaur rocket in an unprecedented way that will culminate with two spectacular impacts on the moon's surface. The tremendous impact force was powered by ABSL Lithium-ion batteries supplied to Northrop Grumman Corporation, the prime manufacturer of the LCROSS spacecraft.

This latest NASA mission is a double success for ABSL. ABSL also supplied the battery unit for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission that was launched with LCROSS. The LRO Satellite has now been flying around the moon for three months with over 1250 orbits. The ABSL battery was designed to allow LRO to operate in lunar orbit for the mission goal duration of five years. During the mission, LRO will help identify safe landing sites for future human explorers, locate potential resources, characterize the radiation environment and test new technology, using a suite of seven instruments. ABSL was contracted by, and delivered the LRO battery to, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

David Curzon, Project Manager for the LRO Battery, stated “ABSL is very proud to have once again worked closely with NASA and supplied key hardware in support of the Vision for Space Exploration mission. It is an honor and a privilege to have collaborated with GSFC in contributing to the success of this project”.

Prior to the award of the LRO and LCROSS battery contract, ABSL had been contracted by GSFC to undertake the design and supply of the battery for the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), due to launch early next year. ABSL also supplied Lithium-ion battery hardware for the Space Technology 5 spacecraft that was launched by NASA in 2006 and now is successfully completed.

Jeremy Neubauer, ABSL Chief Engineer said “The successful impact of LCROSS is the product of hard work from a large number of people, and it is great to feel a part of a team that achieved this high level of technological feat. Someday, I’ll be able to tell my grandchildren that my fingerprints are on the moon”.