GRAIL spacecraft ready to enter lunar orbit
Posted: Fri, Dec 30, 2011, 6:40 AM ET (1140 GMT)
Two NASA spacecraft launched in December are ready to enter lunar orbit this weekend, project officials confirmed this week. The twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft will fire thrusters to go into orbit around the Moon, with GRAIL-A arriving at 4:21 pm EST (2121 GMT) Saturday and GRAIL-B at 5:05 pm EST (2205 GMT) Sunday. The two spacecraft, launched together on a Delta 2 in September, will use radio signals transmitted between each other to determine their separation distance, which in turn will be used to measure the Moon's gravity map. The spacecraft also carry cameras that will be used for educational purposes.
Two NASA spacecraft launched in December are ready to enter lunar orbit this weekend, project officials confirmed this week. The twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft will fire thrusters to go into orbit around the Moon, with GRAIL-A arriving at 4:21 pm EST (2121 GMT) Saturday and GRAIL-B at 5:05 pm EST (2205 GMT) Sunday. The two spacecraft, launched together on a Delta 2 in September, will use radio signals transmitted between each other to determine their separation distance, which in turn will be used to measure the Moon's gravity map. The spacecraft also carry cameras that will be used for educational purposes.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, May 13
A new ‘Boost!’ for space transportation companies
ESA — 6:12 am ET (1012 GMT) Elon Musk Is Out to Rule Space. Can Anyone Stop Him?
Wired — 6:11 am ET (1011 GMT) AST SpaceMobile ‘Optimistic’ About New Glenn Pad Return
Aviation Week — 6:08 am ET (1008 GMT) AST SpaceMobile Confirms Target for 45 BlueBirds This Year, Despite Blue Origin Launch Failure
ViaSatellite — 6:06 am ET (1006 GMT) ULA to prep future Vulcan launch for Amazon despite rocket investigation
Orlando Sentinel — 6:06 am ET (1006 GMT) |
