The Impact of the Hiten Satellite on the Moon

        On April 11,1993, the Japanese satellite Hiten was 
purposely crashed onto the surface of the moon at the end of its 
three year mission.  Using the last of the fuel on board, this crash 
was directed to the side of the moon facing the earth for easier 
observation.  Three teams- the JPL-MMNAV, ISAS-GOOD, and ISAS ONS 
groups predicted the impact point quite closely.  A map of these 
predicted sites can be seen here 
It is believed that more precise calulations could be made using a 
newer planetary ephemeris that incorporates an improved Moon physical 
libration model.
        An interesting side note to this incident is Dr. David 
Allen's observation of the impact area.  Using an infared telescope 
at Anglo-Australian Observatory, Epping, Austrailia, he took a 
series of pictures showing a cloud caused by Hiten's impact.  This 
cloud had a diamater of approximately 5 km.  One of these pictures 
can be found here
        It is hoped that we may soon recieve pictures of Hiten's 
impact area from the Clementine spacecraft.  If the artificial 
crater caused by Hiten can be captured on film, it will be the first 
such crater of known age, caused by an object of known mass, 
density, area, and impact velocity.  This could provide valuable 
data for the analysis of other craters.  

Sources:

Uesugi, Kuninori.  "Space Odyssey of an Angel- Summary of the 
        Hiten's three years Mission", American Astronautical
        Society Paper 93-292.

Kuninori Uesugi, Takaji Kato, Tsutomu Ichihkawa, Premkumanr R. 
     Menon, Lonard Efron, Noboru Muranaka, Masafumi Kimura, 
     Tomoari Hidaka.  "Inference of Hiten's Impact Point on the 
     Moon's Surface".