ESA - SMART-1 - Impact landing on the Moon

About SMART-1

Towards final impact

Approaching the mission end Frequently Asked Questions Ask about the SMART-1 impact Join the SMART-1 impact observation campaign

About the journey

The magic of ion engines The SMART way to travel A spiral pathway to the Moon

About the mission

Masterpieces of miniaturisation What do all the instruments do?

About the Moon

Welcome to the double planet Lunar science - still plenty left to do!Where did the Moon come from?

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SMART-1 images SMART-1 videos SMART-1 animations 3D Flash 'model'SMART-1 wallpaper Launch replay

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Impact landing on the Moon

As ESA's SMART-1 impacts the Moon, telescopes here on Earth will be watching.

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SMART-1's instruments have been sending back brilliant new pictures of the Moon and have been looking for clues to how the Moon was formed - perhaps in a collision between the young Earth and another planet, billions of years ago. Telescopes on Earth hope to catch the final moments of the mission as SMART-1 impacts the Moon. At the European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt the mission controllers used SMART-1's small controlling thrusters in a clever way to make sure it crashes where astronomers can see the impact. So even as it meets its doom, SMART-1 could put on a show for watchers on the Earth.

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SMART-1: end of mission review