Students Choose Spacecraft Names

NASA's twin GRAIL spacecraft have new names, thanks to some enthusiastic 4th graders from Montana, who reveal the names in dramatic fashion.

Transcript:

Maria Zuber: We gave these two spacecraft names of 'A' and 'B'.
So we asked the youth of America to assist us in getting slightly better names.
And we held a nationwide contest. Over 11,000 students wrote essays. There was a very competitive competition.

Sally Ride: GRAIL is the first spacecraft mission to carry instruments
that are entirely dedicated to education: cameras that will be operated by students.
And it's my pleasure to introduce 4th-grade teacher Nina DiMauro.
Her class at Emily Dickinson School submitted the winning entry. Nina, congratulations!

Nina DiMauro: We're so thrilled that our names were chosen!
DiMauro: Give me an E!
Students: E!
DiMauro: Give me an F!
Students: F!
DiMauro: Give me a B!
Students: B!
DiMauro: Give me an L!
Students: L!
DiMauro: Give me a B!
Students: B!
DiMauro: Give me an O!
Students: O!
DiMauro: Give me an 'and'!
Students: And!
DiMauro: Give me a W!
Students: W!
DiMauro: What have we got?
Students: Ebb & Flow!
DiMauro: Can't hear you!
Students: Ebb & Flow!

Ride: In mid-March they'll have the honor of being the first school to take photos of the moon
with the MoonKam cameras.

DiMauro: We can't wait! We're looking forward to it! Thank you!

Applause.