Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Airbus has secured a contract from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, to develop and construct the GRACE-C twin spacecraft. This initiative, a collaborative effort between NASA, the German Space Agency at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), aims to bolster the longstanding partnership between the USA and Germany in monitoring Earth’s gravity field. Commencing in 2002 with GRACE and continuing with GRACE Follow-On, launched in 2018, this partnership ensures uninterrupted data collection.
The GRACE-C Mission (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment-Continuity) is slated to operate for a nominal period of five years. Its primary objective is to sustain the observation of Earth’s dynamic features, including groundwater, oceans, ice sheets, and land movements, through precise measurements of the planet’s gravity field.
Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus, expressed enthusiasm, highlighting the satellites’ ability to monitor significant phenomena such as ice sheet melting from a distance of over 200 km apart. Continuity in environmental monitoring is emphasized, building upon the success of previous GRACE missions.
GRACE-C comprises two identical satellites orbiting approximately 200 km apart at an altitude of 500 km and weighing around 600 kg each. Launch is scheduled for late 2028 from the USA.
Utilizing advanced technology, the GRACE-C mission aims to accurately measure minute variations in gravity between the satellites, enabling the mapping of Earth’s gravity field with unparalleled precision. These measurements will provide invaluable insights into Earth’s water distribution, ice sheets, ocean currents, and their relationship to climate change.
GRACE-C represents an evolution of its predecessors, featuring upgraded avionics and the joint US-German Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) as its primary ranging instrument.
The mission is a collaborative endeavor between NASA and DLR, with German contributions funded by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, as well as the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Operational support will be provided by the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) of DLR.
In summary, GRACE-C signifies a continuation of successful missions aimed at monitoring Earth’s environment, underscoring the ongoing commitment to international cooperation in scientific endeavors.
Tags: Airbus, California, GRACE-C, NASA
Saturday, April 27, 2024
