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Q101 (CDS-I/2012) Science & Technology › Space & Defence Technology › Space exploration missions Answer Verified

In the year 2011, NASA launched a mission to study the Moon from 'crust to core' through its—

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Explanation

In September 2011, NASA launched the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to study the Moon's internal structure [1]. The mission utilized twin spacecraft, named Ebb and Flow, flying in tandem to precisely map the lunar gravitational field. This high-resolution gravity map allowed scientists to investigate the Moon's interior from 'crust to core,' revealing subsurface structures and providing insights into its thermal evolution. While other options like the Fast Auroral Snapshot Explorer (FAST) and Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) are legitimate NASA missions, they were part of the Small Explorer (SMEX) program focused on Earth's aurora and solar imaging, respectively, rather than lunar interior studies. GRAIL's unique approach, adapted from the Earth-centric GRACE mission, successfully concluded its primary science phase in 2012.

Sources

  1. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GRAIL
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