First GRAIL spacecraft enters orbit
Posted: Sat, Dec 31, 2011, 9:21 PM ET (0221 GMT)
The first of NASA's twin lunar spacecraft entered orbit around the Moon on Saturday. The Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) A spacecraft fired its engine at 4:21 pm EST (2121 GMT) Saturday for 39 minutes, slowing the spacecraft down enough to enter orbit. Project officials confirmed later Saturday the spacecraft was in its planned orbit of 90 by 8.363 kilometers. GRAIL-A will be joined on Sunday by its twin, GRAIL-B, whose orbit insertion burn is planned for 5:05 pm EST (2205 GMT). 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 map the Moon's gravity.
The first of NASA's twin lunar spacecraft entered orbit around the Moon on Saturday. The Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) A spacecraft fired its engine at 4:21 pm EST (2121 GMT) Saturday for 39 minutes, slowing the spacecraft down enough to enter orbit. Project officials confirmed later Saturday the spacecraft was in its planned orbit of 90 by 8.363 kilometers. GRAIL-A will be joined on Sunday by its twin, GRAIL-B, whose orbit insertion burn is planned for 5:05 pm EST (2205 GMT). 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 map the Moon's gravity.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
NASA spacecraft spots recent geological activity on the Moon
Posted: Tue, Feb 21 6:02 AM ET (1102 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, February 22
Laser radar illuminates the way to deep space
ESA — 12:59 pm ET (1759 GMT) Regional winners named in student Space Lab competition
ESA — 12:58 pm ET (1758 GMT) Huntsville sees positive side of Robert Lightfoot's promotion to NASA Headquarters
Huntsville Times — 12:53 pm ET (1753 GMT) San Jacinto College and NASA team up for competition
Ultimate Pasadena (TX) — 12:52 pm ET (1752 GMT) How Hubble’s Steam Planet Discovery Helps Us Understand The Universe
TPM — 12:50 pm ET (1750 GMT) |