GRAIL Soars to the Moon
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Fire and smoke light up a blue sky as a Delta II Heavy rocket propels NASA's GRAIL mission into space.
Photo credit: NASA/Darrell McCall
Last weekend (Sept. 10) the GRAIL mission launched its twin spacecraft from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral in Florida.
The GRAIL mission comprises of the aforementioned twin spacecraft which will orbit in tandem around the moon. The spacecraft will use their instruments to precisely measure and map variations in the moon’s gravitational field. The data collected will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth.
The detailed information should reveal density variations in the moon’s crust and mantle, which will help scientists answer fundamental questions about the moon’s internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. One of the end goals of the GRAIL mission is to map the moon’s gravity field so precisely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface.
Source:NASA Images
Ray Sanders is a Sci-Fi geek, astronomer and blogger. Currently researching variable stars at Arizona State University, he writes for Universe Today, The Planetary Society blog, and his own blog, Dear Astronomer
2012-12-04 08:06:39
Source: http://www.dearastronomer.com/2011/09/16/grail-soars-to-the-moon/
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