GRAIL moon mission begins with launch of paired spacecraft

Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 12:30 in Astronomy & Space

The two gravity-mapping craft deploy solar panels for a three-month trip to the moon after they are launched atop a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Scientists predict the GRAIL mission will provide the first comprehensive assessment of the moon's crust, mantle and core.Shaking off a two-day delay that began with swirling winds on the coast of Florida, NASA launched its GRAIL mission to the moon Saturday, seeking a greater understanding of Earth's nearest neighbor through a promising dual-spacecraft technology.

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