A Delta 2 Heavy rocket propels NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission into the clouds over Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spacecraft launched at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2011.
At ignition, flames and smoke from the engines begin liftoff of the Delta 2 Heavy rocket taking NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. At left stands the pad's mobile service tower. The spacecraft launched at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2011.
Rising through a shroud of fire and smoke after liftoff, NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission launches atop a Delta 2 Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on its way to the moon. Liftoff was at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2011.
At ignition, flames and smoke from the engines begin liftoff of the Delta 2 Heavy rocket carrying NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the moon. The spacecraft launched at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2011.
At KARS Park 1 on Merritt Island in Florida, a group of Tweetup participants watch as a Delta 2 Heavy rocket lifts off on Sept. 10, 2011, carrying NASA’s GRAIL mission to the moon. The tweeters shared their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter.
Media representatives at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida photograph the launch of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL). Liftoff was at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2011.
Rising from fire and smoke, NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) probes launch atop a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 Heavy rocket. Leaving from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the spacecraft launched at 9:08:52 EDT on Sept.10, 2011.
A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket carrying the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft for NASA lifted off from Space Launch Complex (SLC)-17B at 9:08 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2011. This launch was the 9th ULA flight in 2011 and 49th Delta 2 mission for NASA. It was the last currently-planned flight from this launch complex at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Fire and smoke light up a blue sky as a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 Heavy rocket propels NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission into space. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida was at 9:08:52 EDT Sept.10, 2011
This view of NASA's Grail-A spacecraft (top) shows the moon gravity probe just before it separated from its Delta 2 rocket high above Earth after a successful launch on Sept. 10, 2011. Grail-A is one of two twin spacecraft to study the moon's gravity in unprecedented detail.
A Delta 2 Heavy rocket carrying NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission lifts off from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. At the right stands the pad's mobile service tower. The spacecraft launched at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2011.
This amazing view shows NASA's Grail-A probe with the blue Earth as a backdrop after the moon gravity probe separated from its Delta 2 rocket. This view was taken by a camera on the Delta 2 rocket shortly after the Grail mission launch from Florida on Sept. 10, 2011.
An unmanned Delta 2 rocket soars toward space carrying NASA's twin Grail moon gravity probes in a successful launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Sept. 10, 2011. The launch was delayed two days.
The United Launch Alliance Delta 2 Heavy rocket propels NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission into the clouds in a graceful arc over Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff was at 9:08:52 EDT Sept. 10, 2011.
Like an arrow across the sky, a Delta 2 rocket hurtles spaceward to launch NASA's twin Grail moon probes into space. The rocket lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 9:08 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2011.
NASA's Grail mission blasts off atop an unmanned Delta 2 rocket at 9:08 a.m. ET on Sept. 10, 2011 in a succesful launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
This NASA video camera still shows the solid rocket boosters separating from the Delta 2 rocket carrying NASA's twin Grail moon probes during a successful 9:08 a.m. ET launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The unmanned Delta 2 rocket carrying NASA's twin Grail moon probes streaks through the Florida sky after a smooth launch. The rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 9:08 a.m. ET on Sept. 10, 2011.
The air-lit motors on the Delta 2 rocket carrying NASA's Grail moon probes into space create a dazzling light effect in this NASA camera view. Grail launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Sept. 10, 2011 at 9:08 a.m. ET.
This view from a NASA camera offers a glimpse inside the launch control center for NASA's Grail moon gravity probe launch on Sept. 10, 2011. The twin Grail probes launched on an unmanned Delta 2 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
At Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., the mobile service tower is aglitter as it rolls away from the United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket that will launch NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission. The rocket was slated to launch Sept. 8, but was delayed by two days.
Infographic shows how GRAIL mission maps the moon's gravity field
This still from a NASA broadcast shows the Delta 2 rocket carrying NASA's twin Grail moon gravity probes on Sept. 10, just one hour away from a morning launch attempt - the second liftoff try for the mission.
NASA's twin Grail spacecraft inside the Delta 2 rocket stand ready to launch on September 8, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on their mission to study the moon..
The twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft are mirror images of one another. The probes will orbit the moon and take detailed measurements of the lunar gravity field.
The Delta 2 heavy rocket carrying the twin GRAIL spacecraft stands on the launch pad just about to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on September 8, 2011.
Artist's concept of the two Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft orbiting the moon. NASA launched the twin probes in September 2011 to study the moon's gravitational field in unprecedented detail.
Dawn breaks over Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as an unmanned Delta 2 rocket stands poised to launch NASA's twin Grail lunar gravity probes toward the moon on Sept. 8, 2011.
NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, spacecraft logo is emblazoned on the first stage of a United Launch Alliance Delta II launch vehicle, now secured in the gantry at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 17B.
A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket stands poised to launch NASA's Grail moon gravity probes from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sept. 8, 2011. The $496 million Grail mission will map the moon's gravity in unprecedented detail.
A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 stands ready for launch at Space Launch Complex-17B with NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft. Launch is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 8 at 8:37:06 a.m. EDT.
