Rockefeller Encouraged by NASA Exploration for Water on the Moon
October 9, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, issued the following statement today on NASA’s mission to confirm the presence of water on the moon. This morning, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), part of a new generation of NASA missions, successfully gathered critical data on the composition of a lunar dust plume left over from its rocket making impact with the moon’s surface. The hope is that NASA’s analysis of this data will determine the existence of water in the polar regions of the moon. Today’s important mission is part of a historic week for science. The president awarded the National Medal of Science and the Medal of Technology and Innovation during World Space Week. This year also marks the International Year of Astronomy.
“Our return to the moon marks a renewed era of space exploration and scientific research," said Chairman Rockefeller. “The data gathered by NASA scientists will lead to a better understanding of the moon’s surface and test the effectiveness of new space technologies. This is a great moment for the hardworking men and women of NASA and the American people as we celebrate space exploration this week.”
“Our return to the moon marks a renewed era of space exploration and scientific research," said Chairman Rockefeller. “The data gathered by NASA scientists will lead to a better understanding of the moon’s surface and test the effectiveness of new space technologies. This is a great moment for the hardworking men and women of NASA and the American people as we celebrate space exploration this week.”
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