CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA’s small moon-orbiting spacecraft LADEE is no more. Flight controllers confirmed early Friday that LADEE crashed into the back side of the moon.
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Researchers believe the robotic explorer vaporized upon contact because of its high orbiting speed of 3,600 mph, possibly smacking into a mountain or side of a crater. As of late Thursday afternoon, the spacecraft was flying 300 feet above the lunar surface. Its altitude had been lowered on purpose to ensure a crash by Monday.
LADEE – short for Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer – was launched in September. It completed its main science mission last month and was on overtime.
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