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| Science & Technology |
| 'Mystery rocket' that crashed into the Moon baffles NASA scientists |
| 2022-07-01 |
| [CHRON] A mysterious rocket crashed into the moon on March 4, leaving behind a 'double crater,' NASA reported. A mysterious rocket crashed into the moon on March 4, leaving behind a 'double crater,' NASA reported. NASA has discovered the crash site of a "mystery rocket body" that collided with the Moon's surface earlier this year. The impact left behind a widespread "double crater," meaning it wasn't the average rocket. However, since its crash landing, none of Earth's space-exploring nations have claimed responsibility for the mysterious projectile, leaving NASA scientists baffled as to who was behind its launch. New images shared on June 24 by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter show the unusual impact site. Failed Sino Lunar Orbital (perhaps manned) Mission? "Surprisingly the crater is actually two craters, an eastern crater (18-meter diameter, about 19.5 yards) superimposed on a western crater (16-meter diameter, about 17.5 yards," NASA reported. "The double crater was unexpected...No other rocket body impacts on the Moon created double craters." Astronomers anticipated the crash after spotting the unidentified rocket on a collision course with the Moon late last year. It finally hit on March 4 near the Hertzsprung crater, a "complex" impact crater on the far side of the Moon. NASA stated that the two large masses on each end of the rocket may have caused the craters, but noted that the impact marks are highly unusual. Spent rockets, according to NASA, tend to have a heavy motor at one end and a lighter empty fuel tank on the other, scientists say. The space agency did not offer any guesses on what the additional mass was. "Since the origin of the rocket body remains uncertain, the double nature of the crater may indicate its identity," NASA said in a news release. Astronomers anticipated the crash after spotting the unidentified rocket on a collision course with the Moon late last year. It finally hit on March 4 near the Hertzsprung crater, a "complex" impact crater on the far side of the Moon. Deceased Astronauts? Craft then programmed to crash beyond Earth's prying eyes? (Sats usually don't have the necessary optical resolution, nor will anyone be visiting this site anytime soon) At least 47 NASA rocket bodies have created "spacecraft impacts" on the moon, according to 2016 data from Arizona State University. Four large moon craters attributed to Apollo 13, 14, 15 and 17 missions are substantially larger than each of the overlapping craters created by the March 4 impact, according to NASA. However, scientists said the maximum width of the new double crater is near that of the Apollo craters. |
| Posted by:Mullah Richard |
| #15 I recall something recent about a few Geeks that got together in a project and shot the moon. All their own doing but somehow avoided prosecution. I don't know if they know it was a success or not, but if so, kudos. |
| Posted by: newc 2022-07-01 22:26 |
| #14 |
| Posted by: Frank G 2022-07-01 19:59 |
| #13 Everywhere else I've seen this reported has stated it was a Chinese rocket. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2022-07-01 16:19 |
| #12 Kerbal 2, 2023. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2022-07-01 16:13 |
| #11 Sorry. That was me. Failed Kerbal Mun launch. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2022-07-01 11:39 |
| #10 "The cause has already been told in Transformers Dark of the Moon movie 2012. The rocket was from Cybertron, piloted by Sentinel Prime". |
| Posted by: Dale 2022-07-01 10:55 |
| #9 I'll save everyone the trouble of looking at the Flesh Gordon movie poster. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 09:46 |
| #8 China moon mission mistake?? |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2022-07-01 09:44 |
| #7 ^ How come I never had a Colonel like Wilma Deering (Erin Gray)? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2022-07-01 09:43 |
| #6 WFOV = Wide field of view OPIR = Overhead Persistent Infrared program |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 09:43 |
| #5 Anything big enough to make orbit would probably have been seen by the old Vela birds. SBIRS certainly can see them and the upcoming WFOF launch to support the OPIR mission will be even better than that. The more babblers that come running to the press from the Pentagone, the more I like to think a few offices are still running tight ships. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 09:41 |
#4 It's a calling card from the future or one of the more than 100 UFOs, which buzzed the US Navy ships recently reported in the news.  Or not - /sarc off |
| Posted by: Menhadden Forkbeard9913 2022-07-01 09:37 |
| #3 Apollo 11 - 102 meters Minuteman III - 18.21 meters Satan / Sarmat - 35.5 meters A ballistic missile is by definition a sub-orbital rocket. Several ICBM boosters have been re-purposed to provide orbital capability, the Atlas, Titan and Peacekeeper most successfully. Much of the burn time for an intra lunar flight occurs in total vacuum. While solid rocket fuel has oxidizer incorporated in the design, it's unlikely you'd choose solid fuel for such a mission profile. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 09:37 |
| #2 So someone launched an Apollo module sized rocket (Which is going to be ICBM sized essentially) and the US space force and air force haven't said who launched it? Did they even notice it? |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2022-07-01 09:13 |
| #1 Keep in mind that the Middle Kingdom doesn't like to acknowledge their mistakes. You could argue adding the Mad Mullahs into this equation, but I really don't believe their equipment or technology would allow them a trans-lunar voyage (although their rockets often go off course a bit). |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2022-07-01 08:39 |