First of Nasa's Grail gravity twins enters Moon orbit

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

31 December 2011 Last updated at 22:16 GMT

First of Nasa's Grail gravity twins enters Moon orbit

Nasa has succeeded in putting the first of two gravity mapping satellites in orbit around the Moon.

The Grail-A spacecraft fired its main engine late on Saturday (GMT) to slow itself sufficiently to take up an elliptical path around the lunar body.

Its twin, Grail-B, will attempt exactly the same manoeuvre on Sunday.

Together, the satellites will make measurements that are expected to give scientists remarkable new insights into the internal structure of the Moon.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16353839

[Eugene]

1. Nasa's gravity twins now circling Moon (BBC)

Source: BBC

1 January 2012 Last updated at 22:52 GMT

Nasa's gravity twins now circling Moon

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News

The US space agency (Nasa) has succeeded in placing two new satellites in orbit around the Moon.

Both spacecraft were put in elliptical paths around the lunar body over the weekend after performing braking manoeuvres following their more than 100-day journey from Earth.

The identical Grail twins are to map gravity variations across the lunar body in unprecedented detail.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16353839