Topic: GRAIL

NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory reveals new information about Impact Craters on Earth’s Moon

October 28, 2016 |

Written by DC Agle
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – New results from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission are providing insights into the huge impacts that dominated the early history of Earth’s moon and other solid worlds, like Earth, Mars, and the satellites of the outer solar system.

In two papers, published this week in the journal Science, researchers examine the origins of the moon’s giant Orientale impact basin. The research helps clarify how the formation of Orientale, approximately 3.8 billion years ago, affected the moon’s geology.

Orientale basin is about 580 miles (930 kilometers) wide and has three distinct rings, which form a bullseye-like pattern. This view is a mosaic of images from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. (NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University)

«Read the rest of this article»

NASA’s GRAIL mission data reveals ‘Ocean of Storms’ region of Earth’s Moon formed from ancient rift valleys

October 2, 2014 |

Written by DC Agle
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – Using data from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL), mission scientists have solved a lunar mystery almost as old as the moon itself.

Early theories suggested the craggy outline of a region of the moon’s surface known as Oceanus Procellarum, or the Ocean of Storms, was caused by an asteroid impact. If this theory had been correct, the basin it formed would be the largest asteroid impact basin on the moon.

A view of Earth’s moon looking south across Oceanus Procellarum, representing how the western border structures may have looked while active. (NASA/Colorado School of Mines/MIT/JPL/GSFC)

«Read the rest of this article»

NASA’s GRAIL probes create high resolution gravity field map of the Moon

December 6, 2012 |

Written by DC Agle
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – Twin NASA probes orbiting Earth’s moon have generated the highest resolution gravity field map of any celestial body.

The new map, created by the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, is allowing scientists to learn about the moon’s internal structure and composition in unprecedented detail. Data from the two washing machine-sized spacecraft also will provide a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed and evolved.

«Read the rest of this article»

NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) completed it’s Prime Mission early

May 30, 2012 |

Written by DC Agle
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – A NASA mission to study the moon from crust to core has completed its prime mission earlier than expected. The team of NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, with twin probes named Ebb and Flow, is now preparing for extended science operations starting August 30th and continuing through December 3rd, 2012.

The GRAIL mission has gathered unprecedented detail about the internal structure and evolution of the moon. This information will increase our knowledge of how Earth and its rocky neighbors in the inner solar system developed into the diverse worlds we see today.

An artist's depiction of the twin spacecraft that comprise NASA's Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission. During the GRAIL mission's science phase, spacecraft (Ebb and Flow) transmit radio signals precisely defining the distance between them as they orbit the moon in formation. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MIT)

«Read the rest of this article»

NASA’s GRAIL Spacecraft fly in Formation around the Moon at 3,600 MPH

March 28, 2012 |

Written by DC Agle
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – The act of two or more aircraft flying together in a disciplined, synchronized manner is one of the cornerstones of military aviation, as well as just about any organized air show. But as amazing as the U.S. Navy’s elite Blue Angels or the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds are to behold, they remain essentially landlocked, anchored if you will, to our planet and its tenuous atmosphere. What if you could take the level of precision of these great aviators to, say, the moon?

An artist's depiction of the GRAIL twins (Ebb and Flow) in lunar orbit. During GRAIL's prime mission science phase, the two spacecraft will orbit the moon as high as 31 miles (51 kilometers) and as low as 10 miles (16 kilometers). (Image credit: NASA/Caltech-JPL/MIT)

«Read the rest of this article»

NASA’s Twin GRAIL Spacecraft Begin Collecting Lunar Data

March 11, 2012 |

Written by DC Agle
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – NASA’s Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft orbiting the moon officially have begun their science collection phase. During the next 84 days, scientists will obtain a high-resolution map of the lunar gravitational field to learn about the moon’s internal structure and composition in unprecedented detail. The data also will provide a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed and evolved.

Using a precision formation-flying technique, the twin GRAIL spacecraft will map the moon's gravity field, as depicted in this artist's rendering. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

«Read the rest of this article»

NASA’s GRAIL Mission Returns First Video From Moon’s Far Side

February 2, 2012 |

Written by DC Agle
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – A camera aboard one of NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) lunar spacecraft has returned its first unique view of the far side of the moon. MoonKAM, or Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students, will be used by students nationwide to select lunar images for study.

GRAIL consists of two identical spacecraft, recently named Ebb and Flow, each of which is equipped with a MoonKAM. The images were taken as part of a test of Ebb’s MoonKAM on January 19th. The GRAIL project plans to test the MoonKAM aboard Flow at a later date.

South pole of the far side of the moon as seen from the GRAIL mission's Ebb spacecraft. (Image credit: NASA/Caltech-JPL)

«Read the rest of this article»

NASA’s Twin Grail Spacecraft Reunite in Lunar Orbit

January 2, 2012 |

Written by DC Agle
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – The second of NASA’s two Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft has successfully completed its planned main engine burn and is now in lunar orbit. Working together, GRAIL-A and GRAIL-B will study the moon as never before.

“NASA greets the new year with a new mission of exploration,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. “The twin GRAIL spacecraft will vastly expand our knowledge of our moon and the evolution of our own planet. We begin this year reminding people around the world that NASA does big, bold things in order to reach for new heights and reveal the unknown.”

Artist concept of GRAIL-B performing its lunar orbit insertion burn. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

«Read the rest of this article»

First of NASA’s GRAIL Spacecraft Enters Moon Orbit

January 1, 2012 |

Written by DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – The first of two NASA spacecraft to study the moon in unprecedented detail has entered lunar orbit.

NASA’s Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)-A spacecraft successfully completed its planned main engine burn at 2:00pm PST (5:00pm EST) today. As of 3:00pm PST (6:00pm EST), GRAIL-A is in an orbit of 56 miles by 5,197 miles (90 kilometers by 8,363 kilometers) around the moon that takes approximately 11.5 hours to complete.

Artist concept of GRAIL mission. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

«Read the rest of this article»

NASA’s GRAIL-A Spacecraft 24 Hours Away From Moon

December 31, 2011 |

Written by DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, CA – NASA’s Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)-A spacecraft is within 24 hours of its insertion burn that will place it into lunar orbit. At the time the spacecraft crossed the milestone at 1:21pm PST today (4:21pm EST), the spacecraft was 30,758 miles (49,500 kilometers) from the moon.

Launched aboard the same rocket on September 10th, 2011, GRAIL-A’s mirror twin, GRAIL-B, is also closing the gap between itself and the moon. GRAIL-B is scheduled to perform its lunar orbit insertion burn on New Year’s Day (January 1st) at 2:05pm PST (5:05pm EST).

Artist concept of GRAIL mission. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem orbits around the moon to measure its gravity field in unprecedented detail. (Image credit: NASA/JPL)

«Read the rest of this article»

© 2006-2021 Clarksville, TN Online is owned and operated by residents of Clarksville Tennessee.
» We are Hosted by Compu-Net Enterprises; In Partnership with Discover Clarksville and Discover Paris