text: ESA's Smart-1 takes its first close-up images of the Moon
  
  January 26, 2005 
  
  The European Space Agency's (ESA) lunar probe SMART-1 has taken its first images from a low orbit around the moon, returning images of great detail. SMART-1 caps a streak of major planetary missions by the ESA in the past year. 
  Two features of SMART-1 have brought particular attention to the project: the ion drive and a sophisticated navigational software. 
  The probe features a low-thrust, long-duration ion drive, where ionised particles are accelerated by electromagnets and ejected from the motor of the probe to provide propulsion. The energy for this is supplied by solar panels, potentially allowing months of thrusting.
tokens: ESA 's Smart-1 takes its first close - up images of the Moon January 26 , 2005 The European Space Agency 's ( ESA ) lunar probe SMART-1 has taken its first images from a low orbit around the moon , returning images of great detail . SMART-1 caps a streak of major planetary missions by the ESA in the past year . Two features of SMART-1 have brought particular attention to the project : the ion drive and a sophisticated navigational software . The probe features a low - thrust , long - duration ion drive , where ionised particles are accelerated by electromagnets and ejected from the motor of the probe to provide propulsion . The energy for this is supplied by solar panels , potentially allowing months of thrusting .
nps.text: ESA's Smart-1
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nps.text: its first close-up images
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nps.text: the Moon
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nps.text: The European Space Agency's
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nps.text: ESA
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nps.text: lunar probe SMART-1
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nps.text: its first images
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nps.text: a low orbit
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nps.text: the moon
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nps.text: images
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nps.text: great detail
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nps.text: SMART-1
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nps.text: a streak
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nps.text: major planetary missions
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nps.text: the ESA
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nps.text: the past year
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nps.text: Two features
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nps.text: SMART-1
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nps.text: particular attention
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nps.text: the project
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nps.text: the ion drive
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nps.text: a sophisticated navigational software
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nps.text: The probe
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nps.text: a low-thrust, long-duration ion drive
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nps.text: ionised particles
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nps.text: electromagnets
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nps.text: the motor
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nps.text: the probe
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nps.text: propulsion
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nps.text: The energy
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nps.text: solar panels
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nps.text: months
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nps.text: thrusting
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