Spectacular landing caps moon mission

EUROPE’S first probe to the Moon, SMART-1, crashed onto the lunar surface as scheduled at 6.42am Irish time yesterday, ending a successful 16-month mission, the European Space Agency announced.

SMART-1 smashed into the Moon at a speed of two kilometres per second (7,200 kmph) in a plain called the Lake of Excellence on the south-western side of the Moon’s face.

The probe fell in exactly the right place after a “pretty spectacular” drop, said Bernard von Weyhe, spokesman for the ESA, which was able to follow its trajectory by telescope.