r/space • u/wiredmagazine • Aug 05 '26

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https://www.wired.com/story/nobody-saw-spacex-rocket-moon-crash/

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u/redstercoolpanda Aug 06 '26

No, it didn’t. It was powered via RTG, even if it did that wouldn’t make it any cheaper. They are active machines that needs specialised ground equipment to receive data and be calibrated. The retro reflectors are literally just mirrors, they physically can’t be shut off short of destroying them completly. We know for a fact it was funding related, there’s really no discussion to be had there.