Nasa scientists have "bombed" the Moon with two spacecraft, but the effect of the violent planned collision was not immediately visible in live images. The projectiles were crashed at the lunar south pole in an attempt to kick up a six-mile high dust cloud that may contain water.
British researchers helped Nasa pick the spot for the attempt, which was broadcast live on the American space agency's website.
The Cabeus south polar region was identified by the University of Durham team as a site with high concentrations of hydrogen - a key component of water. It is believed water ice could lie at the bottom of dark craters at the Moon's poles, where temperatures are lower than minus 170C.
The spacecraft consisted of a LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) and its 2.2 tonne empty Centaur launch rocket. (Sky News)