NASA crashed a rocket into the moon today

[aTailOf2Kitties]

2/3 of the earths surface is covered in water and we're spending $67 million trying to find it on the moon? I can see the Mississippi river from here. I'll get NASA some water for a mere $1 million.

[Lady's Human]

mass of the Moon = 7.36 × 10 to the 22 kilograms

mass of impactor=1000 Kg

The comparative mass of the impactor is infinitessimally small compared to the mass of the moon. It would be absolutely impossible for such a minute collision to have any effect on the orbit of the moon. For such an impact to have any effect, the impactor would have to be moving at a large % of the speed of light, and we're not there yet.

If, however, NASA finds water, the impact on possible exploration of the solar system could be staggering.

NASA wouldn't have to carry mass to the moon, they could make the fuel and life support essentials in place, and carry them to Mars as well, as the moon's gravity well is much more shallow than the Earth's.

[smokey the elder]

To launch a pound of anything past escape velocity from the Earth requires approximately 100 lb of thrust.

To launch the same pound from the Moon requires 1/6th that. (Difference in Earth vs Lunar gravity.)

The only feasable way to have a base on the Moon with current tech level is if we can "live off the land", as it were.

[RICHARD]

So explain this, you smartypants!

[smokey the elder]

So explain this, you smartypants!

Ah, yes! Cartoon astrophysics...proof that alternate universes exist?

[Lady's Human]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science...=HFMostPopular

[RICHARD]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science...=HFMostPopular

THink of the money they will save on bottled water!

[Cinder & Smoke]

I can see the Mississippi river from here.
I'll get NASA some water for a mere $1 million.

Such a Deal!

Only one problemo ...
By the time you get your Mississippi River Water to pass all the NASA "specs" ...
You'd prolly loose money at $1 million per 5 gallon bottle.