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GRACE-FO

Jump to: Mission Objectives, Mission Instrumentation, Mission Parameters, Additional Information

Mission Photos:

GRACE-FO Satellites
Image credit: NASA

Mission Objectives:

GRACE-FO is a successor to the GRACE mission to continue its primary goal to monitor the static and time-variable components of the Earth's gravity field. Secondly, GRACE-FO will carry a Laser Ranging Interferometer as a technology demonstrator for high accuracy inter-satellite range measurements. Also the GRACE radio occulation measurements will be continued.

GRACE-FO Mission Parameters:
Satellite GRACE-FO-1 GRACE-FO-2
Sponsor: NASA JPL and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). NASA JPL and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).
Expected Life: 5 years 5 years
Primary Applications: Monitor the static and time variable components of the Earth's gravity field. Monitor the static and time variable components of the Earth's gravity field.
Primary SLR Application: Precision orbit determination Precision orbit determination
Launch Date: May 22, 2018 May 22, 2018
COSPAR ID: 1804701 1804702
SIC: 0123 0124
NORAD: 43476 43477
NP Bin Size: 5 seconds 5 seconds
RRA Diameter:    
RRA Shape: Hemispherical/Pyramid Hemispherical/Pyramid
Reflectors: 4 corner cubes 4 corner cubes
Orbit: circular circular
Inclination: 89 degrees 89 degrees
Eccentricity: 0 degrees 0 degrees
Perigee: 500 km 500 km
Period: 90 min 90 min
Additional Information:

Web sites:

Publications:

  • Cheng M.K., and Ries J. (2023). "C20 and C30 Variations From SLR for GRACE/GRACE-FO Science Applications", J. Geophys. Res.-Solid Earth, 128(2), e2022JB025459, doi: 10.1029/2022JB025459.
  • Ghobadi-Far K., Werth S., Shirzaei M., et al. (2023). "The impact of new accelerometer transplant data (ACH) on GRACE Follow-On along-orbit inter-satellite laser ranging observations and monthly time-variable gravity and mascon solutions", JGR-Solid Earth,128, e2023JB026740, doi:10.1029/2023JB026740.
  • Haines B., Bertiger W., Desai S., et al. (2024). "A global combination of geodetic techniques at the observation level: New perspectives on the terrestrial reference frame", J. Geophys. Res: Solid Earth, 129, e2024JB029527, doi:10.1029/2024JB029527.
  • Innerkofler J., Kirchengast G., Schwarz M., Pock C., Jaeggi A., Andres Y., Marquardt C. (2020). "Precise Orbit Determination for Climate Applications of GNSS Radio Occultation including Uncertainty Estimation", Remote Sensing, 12(7), 1180, DOI: 10.3390/rs12071180
  • Kang, Z., Bettadpur, S., Nagel, P., Save, H., Poole S., Pie. N. (2020). "GRACE-FO precise orbit determination and gravity recovery", J. Geodesy, 94(85). DOI: 10.1007/s00190-020-01414-3
  • Lemoine J.M., Bourgogne S., Gégout P. et al. (2026). "22 years of time-variable gravity field determination from GRACE and GRACE Follow-On: the CNES/GRGS RL05 solution", J. Geodesy, 100(2), doi:10.1007/s00190-026-02040-1.
  • Loomis B.D., Rachlin K.E., Wiese D.N., Landerer F.W., Luthcke S.B. (2020), "Replacing GRACE/GRACE-FO C-30 With Satellite Laser Ranging: Impacts on Antarctic Ice Sheet Mass Change", Geopys. Res. Lett., 47(3), e2019GL085488, DOI: 10.1029/2019GL085488
  • Nie Y.F., Chen J.L., Xu G.D. Löcher A. (2025). "Barystatic sea level change observed by satellite gravimetry: 1993-2022", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A, 122(27), doi: 10.1073/pnas.2425248122.
  • Peter H., Meyer U., Lasser M., & Jäggi A. (2022). "COST-G gravity field models for precise orbit determination of Low Earth Orbiting Satellites", Adv. Space Res., 69(12), 4155-4168, doi: 10.1016/j.asr.2022.04.005.
  • Sliwinska J., Nastula J., Winska M. (2021). "Evaluation of hydrological and cryospheric angular momentum estimates based on GRACE, GRACE-FO and SLR data for their contributions to polar motion excitation", Earth Planets and Space, 73(1), 71, DOI: 10.1186/s40623-021-01393-5.
  • Teixeira da Encarnação J., Save H., Tapley B., Rim HJ. (2020). "Accelerometer Parameterization and the Quality of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Solutions", J. Spacecraft Rockets, 57(4), 740-752, DOI: 10.2514/1.A34639