Saturday, December 21, 2024
Contact    |    RSS icon Twitter icon Facebook icon  
Unexplained Mysteries
You are viewing: Home > News > Space & Astronomy > News story
Welcome Guest ( Login or Register )  
All ▾
Search Submit

Space & Astronomy

Nasa's Grail gravity twins set to orbit Moon

By T.K. Randall
December 31, 2011 · Comment icon 10 comments

Image Credit: NASA
The two satellites will enter in to orbit around the moon within hours to begin mapping its gravity.
Scientists hope the mission will provide new insights in to the moon's internal structure which may help explain more about how the moon formed and why the near and far sides are so different. "Grail will improve our knowledge of the Moon's nearside gravity by more than 100 times over what was previously known, and by more than 1,000 times over what was known on the far-side," said lead scientist Dr Maria Zuber.
This weekend's approach to the Moon will bring them in over the south pole. Each satellite will execute a roughly 40-minute engine burn to slow itself and take up an elliptical orbit around the 3,500km-wide sphere.


Source: BBC News | Comments (10)

Tags:


Other news and articles

Recent stories:

Resurfaced 1999 interview hints at 2025 disclosure of Area 51's secrets
12-21-2024
From Saint Nicholas to Kris Kringle: the many names of Santa Claus
12-20-2024
Egyptian pyramids. 'MrBeast' to spend 100 hours hunting for ghosts inside Giza's pyramids
12-20-2024
Dark road Mysterious man keeps showing up at road accident scenes in Nebraska
12-19-2024
Higher dimension 'World's smartest man' offers theory on what happens when we die
12-19-2024
Grey squirrel. 'Killer squirrels' observed hunting down and eating other animals
12-18-2024
<< Previous story
China announces manned moon mission
Next story >>
Woman sees face of Jesus in sock
Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by stevewinn 13 years ago
i wonder if these satellites will be visible to the naked eye, (sun light reflecting off them) or maybe visible through a scope? or are they to small?
Comment icon #2 Posted by Czero 101 13 years ago
They're tiny - less than .8m3 each (1.09m x 0.95m x 0.76m) and only weigh about 300kg each at launch. Just as its not possible to see any of the Apollo hardware on the surface of the Moon from any terrestrial telescope or the Hubble, the GRAIL orbiters are far too small to see from Earth. GRAIL Launch Press Kit Cz
Comment icon #3 Posted by stevewinn 13 years ago
They're tiny - less than .8m3 each (1.09m x 0.95m x 0.76m) and only weigh about 300kg each at launch. Just as its not possible to see any of the Apollo hardware on the surface of the Moon from any terrestrial telescope or the Hubble, the GRAIL orbiters are far too small to see from Earth. GRAIL Launch Press Kit Cz thats a shame, i thought that might have been the case thanks for the reply.
Comment icon #4 Posted by spud the mackem 13 years ago
Can someone explain how you "map" gravity ? which to me is ,the tendency of a mass of matter towrds a centre of attraction,or the force of one body to another as in moon to earth,which balance each other out.
Comment icon #5 Posted by GlenndL 13 years ago
there is prolly sensors on the sattelites that can determine how much downforce is being used. then take the and compare to sattelites in our gravity?
Comment icon #6 Posted by DONTEATUS 13 years ago
waiting for the photos !
Comment icon #7 Posted by Czero 101 13 years ago
Can someone explain how you "map" gravity ? which to me is ,the tendency of a mass of matter towrds a centre of attraction,or the force of one body to another as in moon to earth,which balance each other out. there is prolly sensors on the sattelites that can determine how much downforce is being used. then take the and compare to sattelites in our gravity? Referring to page 18 of the press kit I linked above: Lunar Gravity Ranging SystemThe primary payload of the GRAIL spacecraft is the Lunar Gravity Ranging System. The system is responsible for sending and receiving the signals needed to acc... [More]
Comment icon #8 Posted by Still Waters 13 years ago
Update - Nasa's gravity twins now circling Moon http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16353839
Comment icon #9 Posted by masaimara 13 years ago
i hope NASA won't edit some photos, they should make everything freely accessible to the public so as to reduce conspiracy theory enthusiasts giving us their versions
Comment icon #10 Posted by Czero 101 13 years ago
This mission isn't really about taking photos. Yes, there are cameras on the spacecraft, called MoonKAM, but they're not going to be taking pics with anything near the quality of the pics from the LRO. Cz


Please Login or Register to post a comment.


Our new book is out now!
Book cover

The Unexplained Mysteries
Book of Weird News

 AVAILABLE NOW 

Take a walk on the weird side with this compilation of some of the weirdest stories ever to grace the pages of a newspaper.

Click here to learn more

We need your help!
Patreon logo

Support us on Patreon

 BONUS CONTENT 

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can gain access to a wide range of exclusive perks including our popular 'Lost Ghost Stories' series.

Click here to learn more

Recent news and articles
Conspiracy

Resurfaced 1999 interview hints at 2025 disclosure of Area 51's secrets

12-21-2024 | 1
Archaeology & History

From Saint Nicholas to Kris Kringle: the many names of Santa Claus

12-20-2024 | 6
Egyptian pyramids.
Ghosts & Hauntings

'MrBeast' to spend 100 hours hunting for ghosts inside Giza's pyramids

12-20-2024 | 11
Dark road
Modern Mysteries

Mysterious man keeps showing up at road accident scenes in Nebraska

 VIDEO  12-19-2024 | 4
Higher dimension
Metaphysics & Psychology

'World's smartest man' offers theory on what happens when we die

 VIDEO  12-19-2024 | 28
Grey squirrel.
Nature & Environment

'Killer squirrels' observed hunting down and eating other animals

12-18-2024 | 7
View More News