Title:
The Lunar Prospector Mission
Alan Binder, Principal Investigator
Lunar Research Institute

Abstract:

In a press conference on March 5, 1998, NASA's Lunar Prospector team announced a stunning discovery: evidence of water-ice on the moon. In the words of Principal Investigator Alan Binder, "We are certain water is there. The only uncertainty we have is how much." This announcement brought the possibility of lunar colonization one step closer to reality. In addition to the discovery of water, the Prospector's Doppler gravity experiment has provided maps of the lunar mass density with unprecedented detail. In this Forum, Dr. Binder will discuss the spacecraft, science, and early results from this remarkably successful mission.