section_path: Late 20th century–21st century uncrewed crash landings/Lunar Prospector (U.S.)
section_name: Lunar Prospector (U.S.)
paragraph_text: Lunar Prospector (U.S.)
  
  Lunar Prospector was launched on 7 January 1998. The mission ended on 31 July 1999, when the orbiter was deliberately crashed into a crater near the lunar south pole after the presence of water ice was successfully detected.