Infrared cameras help determine presence of water on moon

Images provided by innovative short wave infrared (SWIR) cameras from Goodrich Corporation's ISR Systems team in Princeton, N.J. provided preliminary data that NASA scientists used to determine the presence of water on the moon. During a historic mission on October 9, 2009, a NASA rocket was launched into a crater near the moon's south pole; images from the SWIR cameras showed evidence of water in the post-crash debris plume.

The lunar crash was part of NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission to search for water on the moon. Two Goodrich SWIR – referred to by NASA as "near infrared" – cameras were part of the payload aboard the spacecraft, along with the Centaur rocket that was hurled onto the moon's surface. Images of the vapor and debris plume created by the rocket's impact were recorded by the SWIR cameras, and were analyzed to determine the presence of water on the moon.

Because the Goodrich SWIR cameras detect moisture contrast through dust, smoke and fog, they were able to accurately record the LCROSS crash incident for precise study of the debris cloud. SWIR technology detects reflected light at wavelengths that the human eye cannot see, in wavelength bands between visible and thermal cameras. Use of advanced materials and circuitry allow for the cameras to be very small and lightweight, making them ideal for space travel.

"Our talented ISR Systems team has played a key role in determining the future of Space exploration and our understanding of the solar system," said Ed Hart, vice president and general manager, Princeton operations, Goodrich ISR Systems. "The SWIR technology continues to demonstrate unmatched capability and high reliability under extreme operating conditions, from the sub-zero degree depths of space to fire-fighting and battlefield environments."

Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities.