Dec 22, 2008

Grey Hautaluoma Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0668 grey hautaluoma@nasa gov

Nancy Neal Jones/Rob Gutro Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md 301-286-0039/4044 nancy n jones@nasa gov, robert j gutro@nasa gov

RELEASE: 08-335

NEXT NASA MOON MISSION COMPLETES MAJOR MILESTONE

GREENBELT, Md -- NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, has successfully completed thermal vacuum testing, which simulates the extreme hot, cold and airless conditions of space LRO will experience after launch This milestone concludes the orbiter's environmental test program at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md

The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and increase our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources Data returned to Earth from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts The spacecraft will spend at least a year in a low, polar orbit approximately 30 miles above the lunar surface while the instruments work together to collect detailed information about the moon's environment

The thermal vacuum testing on the spacecraft took about two months The orbiter, which was built at Goddard, was subjected to the extreme temperature cycles of the lunar environment as engineers conducted simulated flight operations

"We have cooked LRO, frozen it, shaken it, and blasted it with electromagnetic waves, and still it operates," said Dave Everett, LRO mission system engineer at Goddard "We have performed more than 2,500 hours of powered testing since January, more than 600 of that in vacuum "

The first two checks were the spin and vibration tests The spin test determined the spacecraft's center of gravity and measured characteristics of its rotation During vibration testing, engineers checked the structural integrity of the spacecraft aboard a large, shaking table that simulated the rigorous ride the orbiter will encounter during liftoff aboard an Atlas rocket

Next, the orbiter was subjected to acoustics testing The bagged spacecraft was placed near wall-sized speakers that simulate the noise-induced vibrations of launch Following acoustics testing, LRO underwent tests that simulated the orbiter's separation from the rocket during launch The spacecraft also underwent electromagnetic compatibility testing to ensure internal and external electrical signals do not interfere with its critical functions

"It was less than one year ago that LRO was a myriad collection of parts not yet delivered to our clean room," said Craig Tooley, LRO project manager at Goddard "This truly is a significant accomplishment -- a hard earned milestone It is a humbling and awe-inspiring experience to work with the LRO team "

LRO will be shipped to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in early 2009 to be prepared for its April 24 launch aboard an Atlas V rocket Accompanying the spacecraft will be the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, a mission that will impact the moon's surface in its search for water ice

Goddard is building and managing the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington

For more information about the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, visit:

http://www nasa gov/lro

-end-

To subscribe to the list, send a message to: hqnews-subscribe@mediaservices nasa gov To remove your address from the list, send a message to: hqnews-unsubscribe@mediaservices nasa gov

The following information is a reminder of your current mailing list subscription:

You are subscribed to the following list: [list_name]

using the following email: example@example.com

You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL:

http://www aus-city com/cgi-bin/dada/plugins/dada_bridge pl/u/[list]/

If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism

You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen:

<[program_url]/list/[list]>

If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at:

<mailto:[list_owner_email]>

The following physical address is associated with this mailing list:

[physical_address]