But even if the batteries discharge completely and can't be recharged, there's still hope, she explained. There is always a chance that things might turn on again with solar power alone. David Goldstein of the University of Texas in Austin, along with some colleagues, came up with the idea of slamming Prospector into the Moon, an offbeat suggestion that has potential scientific benefit, despite a low probability of success. Goldstein said today that the death plunge is scheduled for Saturday, July 31, in part because researchers wanted to wait until after the full Moon for better viewing conditions. Also, Saturday is the day the craft passes over its target, a crater previously identified as a good candidate for holding a reservoir of ice.
Lunar eclipses occur every six months, on average.
The next one, a total eclipse, will be Jan. 21, 2000. On Aug. 11 of this year, a dramatic and relatively rare total solar eclipse will darken the daytime skies over Europe and the Middle East. Artist visualizes Lunar Prospector's dramatic July 31 crash-landing on the Moon. Space missions . E-mail us with general site comments or suggestions.