Paul Stenhouse: 'Odysseus' spacecraft is heading for the moon, Google joins Environmental Defense Fund

A private spacecraft is headed to the moon 

Launched from Elon Musk's SpaceX Falcon 9, the "Odysseus" will land on the south pole of the moon in search of water. Scientists believe ice exists amongst the rock in both the sunlit and dark sides of the moon, possibly from icy meteorites hitting the moon.  

If successful, Odysseus will be the first private craft to land on the moon. 

NASA has funded part of this journey though because it's carrying a range of their scientific instruments, including a laser retroreflector which will bounce back laser beams fired from earth and a tool to measure how the landing disturbs and sends up plumes of moon dust.  

 

An eye on methane from space 

Google joins the non-profit "Environmental Defense Fund" in launching a program to understand how oil and gas plants are emitting methane, believed to be one of the causes of climate change because it traps heat in the atmosphere. The satellite will orbit the earth 15 times a day. Data will be sent back every few weeks and fed into Google's AI and Earth technology systems for viewing. The group says that if they notice a significant leak, they're not going to specifically notify the plant, but would rely on regulators and governments to use their data as they see fit. 

 

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