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"  In the 1960s and 1970s, we set our sights on the moon with a fairly specific goal: to be the first to plant a flag in the lunar soil. We succeeded in this, and we also shed new light on what makes the moon tick: The 841 pounds of regolith brought back by Apollo astronauts, for instance, allowed scientists to examine everything from mineral composition to radiation history. Now, scientific curiosity has become the driving force for moon missions. We first walked on the moon in 1969, but 2010 is shaping up to be the year we rewrite the road map of the closest, most visible celestial body. The lunar missions launched by NASA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and other space agencies in the past few years have sent back detailed topographical maps, chemical spectra, and high-definition videos. This unprecedented wealth of data, scientists hope, will not only answer big questions about the universe, but will set the stage for future exploration\u2014and even a sustained human presence on the moon. Here are what these three missions set out to do, and the surprising finds that came from them. NASA      The mission: On June 18, 2009, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) were launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The goal: LCROSS had one central job: to search for water. The aim of the LRO project was to prepare for future missions to the moon by creating a comprehensive map of the moon&amp;#039;s surface, which would answer scientific questions about the moon&amp;#039;s origins as well as identify safe landing sites, and to study what effects the lunar radiation environment might have on humans. The surprise: LCROSS detected significant amounts of water ice at the lunar south pole, complementing earlier discoveries of ice elsewhere (like the ice found by the ISRO mission, below). Using topographical data from the LRO, scientists have produced the most detailed map of the moon&amp;#039;s surface to date, including the location of every crater with a diameter of at least 12 miles.  JAXA      The mission: The Kaguya spacecraft, consisting of the main orbiter (Kaguya) and two small satellites (Okina and Ouna) was launched from Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 14, 2007. The goal: By looking at mineral composition, gravitational and magnetic fields, surface features, and subsurface structures, the Kaguya mission was aimed at fleshing out lunar history, answering questions about how the moon came to be and what major events have impacted its development since. Kaguya was also a trial run for new technologies, allowing scientists to test out components that could be vital to the success of future missions.  The surprise: Among its 15 scientific instruments, Kaguya carried a high-definition camera\u2014and sent back the first HD video from beyond Earth orbit, including a breathtaking video of Earth-rise and Earth-set as seen from the moon. ISRO      The mission: From a space center on Sriharikota, an island in the Bay of Bengal, the ISRO launched Chandrayaan-1 on Oct. 22, 2008. The goal: Chandrayaan-1 launched India into space, with help from partnerships with other agencies around the world. Like Kaguya, Chandrayaan-1 also set out to study the moon&amp;#039;s mineral and chemical makeup. The surprise: Independently from LCROSS (and two months earlier), Chandrayaan-1 found evidence of water on the moon, in the form of ice deposits in more than 40 craters near the lunar north pole. Like ice cores on Earth, this ice may have trapped information about the moon&amp;#039;s ancient history. Plus, humans on the moon could purify and drink the water, or extract its hydrogen to make fuel. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a2950/3-modern-missions-that-changed-how-we-see-the-moon/>