NASA MSFC Invites News Media to Participate In LCROSS Impact Events

What: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will be holding an event to celebrate the impact of the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) on Oct. 8 – 9 at Sci-Quest, the North Alabama Science Center in Huntsville, Ala.. Seven school systems will bring 85 students and 30 educators and parents to Sci-Quest to enjoy an overnight experience as they learn about the LCROSS mission and lunar robotics. Students will attend a lunar science overview, make their own jitterbug robot, learn about spectroscopes, participate in a robotics lab, and discuss the variety of careers available at NASA. The students will wake up early on Oct. 9 to watch the impact during a celebration party complete with party hats and noisemakers.

Where: Huntsville Sci-Quest 102 Wynn Drive

When: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009, 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. CDT (pre-impact events) Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, 6 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. CDT (LCROSS impact)

NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite mission, known as LCROSS, will culminate with two lunar impacts at approximately 6:30 a.m. CDT on Oct. 9. The mission will search for water ice in the Cabeus (proper) crater near the moon’s south pole. Reporters are invited to participate in the pre-impact educational activities at Sci-Quest and speak to NASA representatives on hand for the event.

News media interested in covering the event should contact Kim Newton or Janet Anderson at 256.544.0034 no later than Wednesday, Oct. 7.

For more information about the LCROSS mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/lcross