{"id":10437,"date":"2022-03-02T16:08:07","date_gmt":"2022-03-02T16:08:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1381667"},"modified":"2022-03-02T16:08:07","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T16:08:07","slug":"a-rocket-crashing-into-the-moon-is-a-good-thing-for-physics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=10437","title":{"rendered":"A rocket crashing into the moon is a good thing for physics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On March 4, 2022, a lonely, spent rocket booster will smack into the surface of the Moon<\/a> at nearly 6,000 mph. Once the dust has settled, NASA\u2019s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter<\/a> will move into position to get an up-close view of the smoldering crater and hopefully shed some light on the mysterious physics of planetary impacts.<\/p>\n

As a planetary scientist who studies the Moon<\/a>, I view this unplanned impact as an exciting opportunity. The moon has been a steadfast witness to solar system history, its heavily cratered surface recording innumerable collisions over the last 4 billion years. However, scientists rarely get a glimpse of the projectiles \u2013 usually asteroids or comets \u2013 that form these craters<\/a>. Without knowing the specifics of what created a crater, there is only so much scientists can learn by studying one.<\/p>\n

The upcoming rocket impact will provide a fortuitous experiment that could reveal a lot about how natural collisions pummel and scour planetary surfaces. A deeper understanding of impact physics will go a long way in helping researchers interpret the barren landscape of the moon and also the effects impacts have on Earth and other planets.<\/p>\n

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