LADEE

NASA Launched a probe to the moon Friday night. Jeff got a heck of a picture.

This was the first launch of Orbital Science's Minotaur V rocket, and the first launch of a Satellite from Wallops Island, Virgina. The rocket has FIVE stages.

The probe will spend 3 days in orbit around Earth before leaving on a 30 day trip to the moon. Apollo missions only took two or three days to get there. Once LADEE reaches the moon it will hopefully spend five months in orbit. There is no provision for it to return to Earth.

Update: Realized some of these terms/acronyms could use defining.

• Cis-lunar space -  is the volume within the Moon's orbit.
• LADEE - Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer 
• LEO - Low Earth Orbit
• LLCD - Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration
• LOI - Lunar Orbit Insertion
• STAR 37 FM - a popular 37 inch diameter, solid rocket motor.
• TLI - Trans-Lunar Insertion
• TCM - Trajectory Correction Maneuver
• WFF - Wallops Flight Facility

I still don't know what a "phasing loop" is, although I suspect it is just a delay technique.