NASA's twin GRAIL probes complete primary mission ahead of schedule
« Back to Article
Artist's depiction of the twin GRAIL spacecraft that have completed their primary mission to map the Moon’s gravitational field (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MIT)
Artist concept of GRAIL mission twin spacecraft in tandem orbits around the moon )Image credit: NASA/JPL)
Image of the lunar surface taken by the MoonKAM system onboard the Ebb spacecraft on March 15, 2012. (Image: NASA/Caltech-JPL/MIT/SRS)
South pole of the far side of the moon as seen from the GRAIL mission’s Ebb spacecraft. (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Article Summary
After entering orbit around the Moon at the start of the year, NASA’s twin GRAIL (Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory) probes, Ebb and Flow, have completed their primary mission to study the Moon’s interior structure ahead of schedule. Operating around the clock since March 8, NASA says the spacecraft have provided unprecedented detail about the interior structure and evolution of the Moon and the data they have gathered will provide insights into how Earth and its rocky neighbors in the inner solar system developed.
« Back to NASA's twin GRAIL probes complete primary mission ahead of schedule
Other Images from this Gallery
Related Articles
-
NASA's twin GRAIL spacecraft now together in lunar orbit
2nd January, 2012
-
GRAIL mission on final approach to Moon
30th December, 2011
-
NASA's GRAIL mission will map the Moon's gravity
9th September, 2011
-
NASA may support UK in ground-breaking MoonLITE mission
19th February, 2008
-
New NASA pics show Apollo astronauts' footpaths on the moon
7th September, 2011
-
Water found on the moon – what will it mean for the future?
25th September, 2009
