Upper level winds in the unacceptable range Thursday morning delayed the GRAIL launch by 24 hours. The forecast for Friday shows a 40 percent chance of favorable weather conditions at launch time.
There are once again two one-second launch windows. Friday's launch times are 8:33:25 a.m. and 9:12:31 a.m. EDT. The launch period extends through Oct. 19, with liftoff occurring approximately 4 minutes earlier each day.
Live launch coverage will begin tomorrow morning at 5:45 a.m. on NASA TV and on the web at www.nasa.gov/ntv and www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/grail/launch/grail_blog.html.
The twin GRAIL spacecraft are scheduled to begin their mission to the moon lifting off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17B aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II heavy rocket.
GRAIL's primary science objectives are to determine the structure of the lunar interior, from crust to core, and to advance understanding of the thermal evolution of the moon.
