The LCROSS observations were made from the shepherding spacecraft, which followed the Centaur rocket stage into the lunar south pole crater Cabeus. The Centaur impacted the floor of Cabeus at a speed of 1.5 miles/sec sending out a cloud of vapor and lifting a debris cloud more than six miles above the surface. Instruments monitored the impact and made measurements of the vapor and dust clouds. After approximately 3.5 minutes the shepherding spacecraft entered the remnants the impact debris cloud and made the first observations of the floor of Cabeus, including the still hot crater created by the impact of the Centaur.
Video credit: NASA/Ames, Roger Arno