Category Archives: GRAIL

Wednesday / 20 March 2013

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Characterizing The Lunar Poles: Ben Bussey Seminar

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Ben Bussey Of John Hopkins University APL Presenting Data – Acquired By Recent Fleet Of International Lunar Spacecraft – Characterizing Moon Poles, 27 Mar At NASA Lunar Science Institute In CA, USA; Results Useful For Planning Future Robotic & Human Missions; Geology Of Poles, Surface & Subsurface Properties, Possibilities For Surface Operations / Regolith Excavation / Drilling & Potential Instrumentation Needed For Science From / On Moon

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 6 March 2013

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Lunar Conferences Upcoming In Houston, Texas

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Microsymposium 54, 16-17 Mar, To Feature Summary Of New Lunar Exploration Discoveries, Implications For Future Robotic & Human Missions To Lunar Poles & Far Side; 1,945 Oral / Poster Presentations On Latest Research In Planetary Science Expected At 18-22 Mar LPI / USRA Lunar & Planetary Science Conference, Features Special Session On GRAIL Mission Results; Both Events At The Woodlands, TX

Image Credit: LPI, NASA, Brown University

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 1-4 Feb 2013

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LRO Continues To Serve As A Beacon For Lunar Exploration

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3.5 Years Into Its Mission, LRO Continues To Provide Valuable Data And Spectacular Images Of Our Celestial Neighbor; To Date The Mission Has Provided 893,493 Images & Over 8,653 Derived Data Products To The NASA Planetary Data System; LRO Team Planning To Image GRAIL Impact Sites In March / April When LRO & Sun Are Directly Overhead

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 11-14 Jan 2013

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USA Preparing To Delve Deeper Into Lunar Exploration

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As GRAIL Mission Data, Including Imagery Of Spacecraft Surface Approach, Continues To Flow Through Scientific Community, NASA Invests In Technology Development To Search For Water Deposits Inside Permanently Shadowed Moon Craters; US$300K Contract Awarded To Xylem Inc. To Develop Specialized Mass Spectrometer For RESOLVE Mission Lunar Rover; With Sufficient Authorization & Funding USA / Canada Mission Could Land On Moon In 2017

Image Credit: NASA, Xylem Inc.

Wednesday / 19 December 2012

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USA Moon Missions Update

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With Crash Landing Of Twin GRAIL Craft Into Side Of Mountain Near Lunar North Pole, USA / NASA Now Has 3 Probes Orbiting Moon (LRO & Artemis); Next Orbital Mission – Lunar Atmosphere & Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) – Set For Launch May 2013; Since Ending Apollo NASA Has Conducted 6 Crash Landings (4 Missions) On Moon Surface, 0 Soft Landings

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 12 December 2012

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GRAIL Mission Coming To Close

Twin Probes Ebb & Flow To Impact Moon Surface On 17 Dec Ending Successful US$496M Mission; Launched Sep 2011, Crafts Arrived In Lunar Orbit Last New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day; Provided Ultra-Precise Measurements To Construct Accurate Map Of Lunar Gravity Field; Showed Moon Crust Completely Pulverized Suggesting More Violent Early History Of Inner Solar System Than Previously Believed; NASA To Host Press Conference 13 Dec To Discuss Impact

Image Credit: NASA, ESA

Tuesday / 18 September 2012

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GRAIL: Moon Crust Thinner Than Expected

Maria Zuber, GRAIL PI, Reveals High-Resolution Gravity Map / Initial Results Of Mission At Recent Seminar; Average Thickness Of Lunar Crust Appears To Be 30km, About Half Of Previous Estimate; High Correlations Between Topography & Gravitational Field; GRAIL Unable To Confirm Existence Of Hypothetical Ancient Impact Basins; Map Is 3-4 Times More Detailed Than Those Of Kaguya Or Lunar Prospector

Image Credit: NASA, Wikipedia

Friday / 7 September 2012

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GRAIL Now In Extended Science Mission

Extended Science Phase Of GRAIL Mission From 30 Aug – 3 Dec; Spacecraft Will Take Even Closer Look At Lunar Gravity Field By Dropping To Average Orbit Of 23km (Compared To 55-km Orbit On Primary Mission); Objective Of NASA Mission Is To Generate The Most Accurate Gravity Map Of Moon & From That Derive Its Internal Structure / Evolution

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 25 July 2012

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Lunar Legacy Of Space Age Icon Sally Ride

Sally Ride: 26 May 1951 – 23 July 2012

Respectful / Honorable Achievements Extend Beyond Her Being The First American Woman In Space (On 18 June 1983) &  Her Efforts To Inspire Women To Consider Careers In Science; Ride Was Also Current PI For GRAIL MoonKAM Initiative, ‘Outpost On Moon’ (With Crew Of 30 By 2010) Was 1 Of 4 Main Initiatives In The 1987 ‘Ride Report’

Weekend Edition / Saturday – Monday 9-11 June 2012

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Successful GRAIL Spacecraft Preparing For Extended Science Operations

Now In Hibernation, Ebb & Flow Survived Recent Lunar Eclipse; Extended Mission To Run From 30 Aug – 3 Dec; Spacecraft Performed Flawlessly During Primary Mission; GRAIL Will Halve Operating Altitude To 23km During Next Phase To Obtain Even Closer Look At Moon Gravity Field; MoonKAM Program Also Extended, Over 70,000 Student Images Have Thus Far Been Obtained

Image Credit: NASA