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Clementine was the name of an unmanned space vehicle launched as a joint project by NASA and the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (funding was by NASA and the US Navy). Its 1994 mission was in large part a test of the effects of long-term deep-space exposure on the spacecraft and its sensors, but its best-known contribution was the first up-close and extensive surveying of the surface of the moon.

It made headlines when its survey of the lunar south pole strongly suggested the possibility of water ice on the moon, a theory backed up by the later Lunar Prospector at the lunar north pole, and confirmed by the 2009 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's analysis of material ejected from a shadowed crater after a deliberate impact by the accompanying LCROSS vehicle.

Clementine was also notable for being among the first of NASA's "faster, smaller, cheaper" unmanned missions. This paved the way for a new string of unmanned missions to the moon and Mars during the 1990s-2000s.

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Where did the spacecraft Clementine get its name?

The spacecraft Clementine was named after the song "Oh My Darling, Clementine," which was played on mission controllers' answering machines during its development. The name also reflects the fact that the mission was meant to have an "aura of lightness" like the song.


What fact does data gathered from the Clementine spacecraft support?

Data gathered from the Clementine spacecraft supports the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed regions near the lunar poles. This discovery has important implications for potential future human exploration and utilization of resources on the Moon.


Which material may have been found on the moon by the clementine spacecraft?

The Clementine spacecraft found evidence of water ice in permanently shadowed regions near the moon's poles. This discovery was made through the detection of radar reflections consistent with the presence of ice. The spacecraft also provided insights into the moon's mineral composition, topography, and surface properties.


What information from clemntine helped scientists measure the thickness of the moons?

Data from Clementine's laser altimeter was used to measure the thickness of the moons' crusts by mapping surface topography and detecting variations in elevation. These measurements allowed scientists to estimate the moon's crustal thickness by analyzing the depth of impact craters and other surface features.


What probe was the first to extensively map the surface of the moon?

The first probe to extensively map the surface of the moon was the Lunar Orbiter program, specifically Lunar Orbiter 1 launched by NASA in 1966. It captured detailed images of potential landing sites for future manned missions, contributing to the Apollo program's success in landing astronauts on the moon.