NASA released footage Wednesday from one of the agency's twin GRAIL lunar probes, showing the rugged far side of the moon in a time lapse video from a camera built to help educate and inspire U.S. middle school students.

The MoonKAM camera recorded the imagery Jan. 19 during a north-to-south orbit track.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, mission consists of two satellites. Beginning in March, the spacecraft will fly in formation to map the moon's gravity field, giving scientists clues about the structure, density and thermal characteristics of the lunar interior. Such information will help researchers learn about the formation and evolution of the solar system.

Since arriving in lunar orbit Dec. 31 and Jan. 31, the probes have been steadily lowering their altitude. The craft will reach 34-mile-high orbits by March before beginning their science mission, which is due to last at least three months.

Both of the $496 million mission's satellites, nicknamed Ebb and Flow by Montana fourth graders, carry a MoonKAM payload sponsored by Sally Ride, the first U.S. woman in space. Sally Ride Science and undergraduate students at the University of California in San Diego will engage middle school students across the United States, who will select targets for the MoonKAMs to observe.

"We have had great response from schools around the country; more than 2,500 signed up to participate so far," Ride said. "In mid-March, the first pictures of the moon will be taken by students using MoonKAM. I expect this will excite many students about possible careers in science and engineering."

The video released Wednesday was captured by the GRAIL A, or Ebb, spacecraft. NASA said Flow's MoonKAM will be activated later.