The Grail Mission was a space exploration mission launched by NASA in 2011. The main objectives of the mission were to study the interior of the Moon and to search for evidence of water ice on its surface. The mission was successful in achieving both of these goals, and provided new insights into the formation and evolution of our natural satellite.
The Moon is thought to have formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago, when a large body collided with the proto-Earth. This impact caused material from both bodies to be ejected into orbit around the Earth, which then coalesced to form the Moon. The composition of the Moon is similar to that of Earth’s mantle, but it also contains a significant amount of iron oxide (fe3o4), which is believed to have come from the impactor body.
The interior of the Moon is divided into two layers: a crust and an mantle. The crust is thin (approximately 50 km) and consists mostly of feldspar minerals. Beneath the crust lies the mantle, which is made up of peridotite rocks. These rocks are rich in iron and magnesium, and are thought to be similar to those found in Earth’s mantle.
The first evidence for water ice on the surface of the Moon was obtained by the Grail mission. Water ice has been found in permanently shadowed craters at both poles, where it exists as frost or as larger deposits known as “ice sheets”. The presence of water ice on theMoon has important implications for future lunar exploration, as it could be used as a resource for astronauts or converted into rocket fuel.
The Grail mission has provided new insights into our natural satellite and its place in solar system history. It has shown thatwater ice exists onthe surfaceofthe Moon,andhas helped us better understandthe interior structureofthis enigmatic object