[meteorite-list] NASA to Provide Dec. 17 Commentary as Twin Probes End Lunar Mission

[Ron Baalke]

Dec. 14, 2012

Dwayne Brown 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-1726 
dwayne.c.brown at nasa.gov 

D.C. Agle 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 
818-393-9011 
agle at jpl.nasa.gov 

Sarah McDonnell 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 
617-253-8923 
s_mcd at mit.edu 


MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-240

NASA TO PROVIDE DEC. 17 COMMENTARY AS TWIN PROBES END LUNAR MISSION

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will provide live commentary of the scheduled 
lunar surface impacts of its twin Gravity Recovery and Interior 
Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft beginning at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST) 
Monday, Dec. 17. The event will be broadcast on NASA Television and 
streamed on the agency's website. 

The two probes will hit a mountain near the lunar north pole at 
approximately 2:28 p.m. Monday, bringing their successful prime and 
extended science missions to an end. 

Commentary will originate from the control room at NASA's Jet 
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. Coverage will last 
about 35 minutes and include live interviews with GRAIL team members. 
GRAIL's final resting place on the moon will be in shadow at the time 
of impact, so no video documentation of the impacts is expected. 

Data from the GRAIL twins are allowing scientists to learn about the 
moon's internal structure and composition in unprecedented detail. 
The two probes are being sent purposely into the moon because they do 
not have enough altitude or fuel to continue science operations. 
Media wishing to cover the end of the GRAIL mission at JPL, where they 
will have the opportunity to conduct interviews and watch a live feed 
from mission control, must contact the JPL Media Relations Office at 
818-354-5011 by 11 a.m. Dec. 17. Valid media credentials are 
required. Non-U.S. citizens also must present valid passports. 

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv 

The coverage will also be streamed live on Ustream at: 

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2 

Join the conversation on Twitter by following the hashtag #GRAIL. To 
learn more about all the ways to connect and collaborate with NASA, 
visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/connect 

For the mission's press kit and other information about GRAIL, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/grail 
	
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