LOS ANGELES -- The cruise to the moon took 3 1/2 months and covered 2 1/2 million miles – far longer than the direct three-day flight by Apollo astronauts.
Over the New Year's weekend, a pair of NASA spacecraft arrived back-to-back at their destination in the first mission devoted to studying lunar gravity.
Mission controllers at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory did not toast champagne – there's a no alcohol policy on campus – but several belatedly heralded the new year by with noisemakers.
"We can start celebrating the new year now," project manager David Lehman said Sunday after attending a post-mission fete where cake and sparkling cider were served.
The tricky arrivals occurred 24 hours apart. The drama unfolded on New Year's Eve when Grail-A flew over the south pole, fired its engine and dropped into lunar orbit. Its twin Grail-B repeated the maneuvers on New Year's Day.
Cheers and applause filled mission control when each probe signaled it was healthy and circling the moon.
"Everything worked much better than I hoped," Lehman said.
The moon has long been an object of fascination. Galileo spotted mountains and craters when he peered at it through a telescope. Poets and songwriters looked to the moon as a muse.
Since the late 1950s, more than 100 missions launched by the United States, Soviet Union, Japan, China and India have targeted Earth's companion. NASA flew six Apollo missions that landed twelve men on the lunar surface and brought back more than 800 pounds of rock and soil samples.
Despite all the visits, the moon remains mysterious. Mission chief scientist Maria Zuber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said researchers know more about Mars, which is farther away from the Earth, than the moon.
One of the enduring puzzles is its lopsided shape with the far side more hilly than the side that always faces Earth. Research published earlier this year suggested that our planet once had two moons that crashed early in the solar system's history and created the moon that hangs in the sky today.
Scientists expect to learn more about how the celestial body formed using Grail's gravity measurements that will indicate what's below the surface.
Since the washing machine-size Grail probes – short for Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory – were squeezed on a small rocket to save on costs, it lengthened the trip and took them 30 times longer to reach the moon than the Apollo astronauts.
Previous spacecraft have attempted to study the moon's gravity – about one-sixth Earth's pull – with mixed success. Grail was expected to give scientists the most detailed maps of the moon's uneven gravitational field and insight into its interior down to the core.
Data collection won't begin until March after the near-identical spacecraft refine their positions and are circling just 34 miles above the surface. While scientists focus on gravity, middle school students will get the chance to take their own pictures of the moon using cameras aboard the probes as part of a project headed by Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.
There's already chatter about trying to extend the $496 million mission, which was slated to end before the partial lunar eclipse in June. Scientists initially did not think the solar-powered probes would survive that long, but changed their minds during the long cruise to the moon after getting new data.
Researchers expect Grail to return a plethora of data, but that information won't be a guide to manned lunar trips anytime soon. The Obama administration last year scrapped a plan to return astronauts to the lunar surface in favor of landing on an asteroid as a stepping stone to Mars.
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Check out the slideshow for NASA's biggest discovery of the year.
Entire Sun Imaged
In February, <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/main/index.html" target="_hplink">NASA's STEREO probes</a>, two observatories that were launched in 2006 to survey the sun, reached opposite ends of the sun and thus, were able to give scientists (and the rest of us!) a never-before-seen view of the far side of the star at the center of our universe.
The composite image above was captured on June 1, 2011, <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/news/farside-060111.html" target="_hplink">and according to NASA</a>, "is the first complete image of the solar far side, the half of the sun invisible from Earth."
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/07/nasa-stereo-sun-images-video_n_819510.html" target="_hplink">Click here for more</a> on the STEREO probes.
Messenger Reaches Mercury
While it's not a "discovery," <em>per se</em>, it's a milestone that will no doubt lead to many new findings about the smallest and innermost planet in our solar system.
In March, after a 6 1/2-year, 4.9 billion mile journey, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/18/nasa-messenger-mercury_n_837503.html" target="_hplink">NASA's Messenger spacecraft reached Mercury's orbit</a>.
Messenger, the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury, <a href="http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/mer_orbit.html" target="_hplink">orbits the planet</a> every 12 hours.
In November, <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/media/MissionExtends.html" target="_hplink">NASA announced that the spacecraft's mission</a>, which was supposed to end on March 17, 2012, would be extended for an additional year.
Pluto's Tiny Moon
In July, NASA said that its Hubble Space Telescope <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/20/new-pluto-moon-hubble-space-telescope_n_904578.html" target="_hplink">discovered an eight to 21-mile-wide moon</a> circling the dwarf planet.
Black Hole Eats A Star
In March, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/07/nasa-cosmic-blast_n_846333.html" target="_hplink">NASA's Swift satellite saw an unusually long explosion of gamma-rays</a>.
After studying the X-rays, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/25/black-hole-eats-star-video_n_937150.html" target="_hplink">scientists found that they came from</a> a black hole that had become reenergized when it devoured a star.
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/aug/HQ_11-271_Swift_Black_Hole.html" target="_hplink">From NASA</a>:
<blockquote>Astronomers soon realized the source, known as Swift J1644+57, was the result of a truly extraordinary event -- the awakening of a distant galaxy's dormant black hole as it shredded and consumed a star. The galaxy is so far away, it took the light from the event approximately 3.9 billion years to reach Earth. </blockquote>
Huge Mountain Discovered On Asteroid
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/dawn/main/index.html" target="_hplink">NASA's Dawn</a>, an ion-propelled spacecraft that traveled 1.7 billion miles before reaching the asteroid Vesta in July, sent back images in October revealing that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/05/vesta-mountain-dawn-nasa_n_996282.html" target="_hplink">Vesta is home to a mountain larger than any mountain</a> on Earth.
In December, NASA released new images that Dawn took when it was orbiting only 130 miles above the asteroid, the closest it will get to Vesta.
Dawn will continue to image Vesta until next summer, when it will make its way to Ceres, a bigger asteroid.
'Star Wars'-Like Planet
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/15/kepler-16b-planet-two-suns_n_964799.html" target="_hplink">NASA's Kepler spacecraft found a planet</a> that orbits two suns, driving fans of the "Star Wars" franchise <a href="http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/09/16/astronomers-discover-real-life-tatooine-star-wars/" target="_hplink">to call it a real-life Tatooine</a>.
Astronomers announced Kepler-16b, which is the first circumbinary planet -- meaning it orbits two stars -- in September.
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/15/kepler-16b-planet-two-suns_n_964799.html" target="_hplink">Click here for more</a> on Kepler-16b.
'Habitable Zone' Planet Found
Scientists in early December <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/05/kepler-22b-new-planet-discovered-habitable-zone_n_1129591.html" target="_hplink">announced the discovery of Kepler-22b</a>, a planet with a temperature of around 72 degrees that's in the so-called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitable_zone" target="_hplink">"Goldilocks," or habitable zone</a>. While the temperature of the 600-light-year away planet could sustain water, it has a radius of 2.4 times that of Earth's, so <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20111206/us-sci-alien-planet/" target="_hplink">it's probably too big</a> to harbor life.
Biggest Black Holes Ever Discovered
Astronomers announced in early December that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/05/black-hole-scientists-discover-huge_n_1129727.html" target="_hplink">they had found the biggest black holes to date</a>.
The massive black holes, which are 10 billion times the size of the sun, are located over 300 million light years away.
Europa's 'Great Lakes'
Scientists had long-thought that a large body of water existed under the surface of Europa, Jupiter's moon, but it was thought to be tens of miles below an icy crust.
In November, though, astronomers analyzing data from <a href="http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/galileo/" target="_hplink">NASA's Galileo spacecraft</a> found evidence that suggests blocks of ice interact with water below the surface, which could mean that nutrients and energy are moving between the underground ocean and icy shell.
<a href="http://www.ig.utexas.edu/people/staff/britneys/" target="_hplink">Britney Schmidt</a>, the lead author of the study, <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v479/n7374/full/nature10608.html" target="_hplink">which appeared in the journal Nature</a>, said that the interaction "could make Europa and its ocean more habitable for life."
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/17/europa-water-jupiter-moon-photo-video_n_1099463.html#s480278&title=Europa" target="_hplink">Click here to read more</a> about water on Europa.
'Bubbles' At The Edge Of Solar System
NASA's Voyager probes -- launched over 30 years ago -- found huge magnetic "bubbles" at the edge of the solar system.
"The sun's magnetic field extends all the way to the edge of the solar system," astronomer Merav Opher of Boston University <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/heliosphere-surprise.html" target="_hplink">said in a NASA statement</a>. "Because the sun spins, its magnetic field becomes twisted and wrinkled, a bit like a ballerina's skirt. Far, far away from the sun, where the Voyagers are, the folds of the skirt bunch up."
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched in 1977. Voyager 1 is currently 11 billion miles away and may exit our solar system within the next few years.
Gypsum On Mars
In December, scientists announced that NASA's <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/08/mars-water-opportunity-rover-gypsum_n_1136483.html" target="_hplink">Mars Rover Opportunity may have found gypsum </a>that had been deposited by water.
"This tells a slam-dunk story that water flowed through underground fractures in the rock," <a href="http://astro.cornell.edu/people/facstaff-detail.php?pers_id=112" target="_hplink">Steve Squyres</a>, a planetary scientist at Cornell University and the principal investigator for Opportunity <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20111207.html" target="_hplink">said in a NASA statement</a>.
NASA's Curiosity Rover <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/26/nasa-mars-curiosity-launc_n_1113995.html" target="_hplink">is en route to the Red Planet</a> and will arrive in August 2012.
Earth-Size Planets Discovered
Weeks after <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/05/kepler-22b-new-planet-discovered-habitable-zone_n_1129591.html" target="_hplink">the announcement of Kepler-22b</a>, scientists said that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/new-planets-kepler-exoplanets_n_1161213.html" target="_hplink">they'd discovered Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f</a>, two planets that are about the size of Earth.
While the planets are too close to their sun-like star to harbor life as we know it, the discovery proved that the Kepler spacecraft was capable of spotting planets that are Earth-size, and brings us one step closer to finding a true Earth twin.
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/new-planets-kepler-exoplanets_n_1161213.html" target="_hplink">Click here for more</a> on the new planets.
LOS ANGELES -- The cruise to the moon took 3 1/2 months and covered 2 1/2 million miles – far longer than the direct three-day flight by Apollo astronauts.
Over the New Year's weekend, a pair o...
LOS ANGELES -- The cruise to the moon took 3 1/2 months and covered 2 1/2 million miles – far longer than the direct three-day flight by Apollo astronauts.
Over the New Year's weekend, a pair o...
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A pair of spacecraft rocketed toward the moon Saturday on the first mission dedicated to measuring lunar gravity and determining what's...
NASA has released never-before-seen images of three lunar landing sites. These high-resolution stills feature stunningly detailed scenes of abandoned experiment sites and trails made by...
By Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Four decades after landing men on the moon, NASA is returning to Earth's orbiting companion,...
To me, this is an experiment that will back up the book of Genesis. Genesis 1: tells about the sun and the moon being created during the 4th period of time (4th day KJV) To view my illustrated album of a step by step evolution of the universe and earth, type in Herman Dusty Rhodes and look on Facebook, or, hermandustyrhodes and look on Youtube. It will be interesting to see how close NASA comes to Genesis 1: So far, they have come pretty close.
dusty55art: To me, this is an experiment that will back up
I really hope they continue the space program. My father worked for NASA, his name is on the wall of The kennedy Space Flight Center! It is a very important section of our Government that needs to keep going!
horsestoy: I really hope they continue the space program. My father
Yes indeed, it has been that way for quite some time. My father died 11 years ago and I would like to see some of the things he had dreamed of at least discussed by "the powers that be." Of course a lot of things he did he couldn't tell us, but I have some cool photographs and such!
horsestoy: Yes indeed, it has been that way for quite some
The Apollo missions placed seismic measuring instruments on the Moon, but the monitoring project was scrapped because NASA couldn't afford the (now get this folks) $300K it cost to monitor it. Now some people believe that the Moon is a hollow spacecraft, and just about an hour ago I heard someone on the radio state that "Perhaps they found the engines" which is why all of a sudden this has become a priority.
quixmar: The Apollo missions placed seismic measuring instruments on the Moon,
This is more proof of the Binkles and Clowns projct to save this world.....The pilot that was found dead, knew about Binkles and Clowns that MIT has created....They need to get humans off the surface of the earth when the polar shift happens, all of you who think I am crazy for re-posting this every cance I get will soon understand...riddle me this...Have you noticed how many satelites have been crashing to earth lately, its because true North is off by over 200 miles....Use a compass, from 1970's if you have one and one brand new one...hold them together a it will show you the difference...If I'm found I will be put in prison or worse for talking about this
Tim_Day: This is more proof of the Binkles and Clowns projct
The magnetic pole has been moving in a SE direction, (I saw this on a National Geographic map a few years ago) but then again I asked myself if the pole was moving south, or the crust shifting north?
quixmar: The magnetic pole has been moving in a SE direction,
Hmmmmmm. NASA is now saying they are sending probes to the moon, BUT announced last week-ish that it's making landing an astronaut on an asteroid it's first priority. Makes you wonder why the changed their plans, because a few months ago they were still talking about putting a manned base on the moon to mine it for helium3. (which would make our dependence on oil vanish overnight. Since the US never puts anything above money/energy, why the big change of plans? Makes you wonder if the liklihood of an asteroid hitting the earth is more pressing an issue. Are they telling us everything?
happyjoyjoy333: Hmmmmmm. NASA is now saying they are sending probes to
Sorry, but no - Constellation was NEVER going to get us to the moon. It was just going to spend a lot of money.
Obama has made it more likely we'll get back to the moon sooner rather than later, thanks to programs like Commercial Crew, and investing in tech development/demonstration (look up propellant depots)
FerrisValyn: Sorry, but no - Constellation was NEVER going to get
No, that program was set up by Bush, and it was wrong from the beginning. The current manned space program is two-fold, involve the private sector AND get a program started to deflect that asteroid or comet that sometime soon could rival 65 MYA.
I think we are doing just fine without Bush's Blunder.
BZ.
bryanzth: No, that program was set up by Bush, and it
Now I thought we stopped going back to the moon because of the alien rocks and the Russian Soyoz rocket we found? At least, that was what the Apollo 18 movie that just came out said!
KheSahn068: Now I thought we stopped going back to the moon
dubba's moon base and manned misson to mars was intresting and craptastic. When private sector became involved in space . change of the times. at least NASA IS still having a good success rate ,a great success rate ! President says jump , NASA has to say. "how high!"
NASA is alive and well, under obama. dubba was clueless . wanted to sound like JFK.
davyjones2112: dubba's moon base and manned misson to mars was intresting
I note your 2112 styled ID, and it just came to me. Anyone born this past decade has a very good chance of living into the 22nd century (after 2101, possibly even into 2112). Interesting.
BZ.
bryanzth: You said it better.<br><br>I note your 2112 styled ID, and
it's from a Rush album. 2112. a man discovers an ancient relic ,a guitar and learns to play it . the elders will not allow him to introduce music. so he kills himself .
sorry if thats a buzzkill. lol .:)
davyjones2112: it's from a Rush album. 2112. a man discovers an
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By ALICIA CHANG 01/ 2/12 03:58 AM ET Associated Press