missions

GRACE-FO

GRACE-FO (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On) is a NASA and GFZ twin-satellite gravity mission launched on 22 May 2018 ^[1]. It extends the GRACE mass-change record by measuring month-to-month variations in Earth's gravity field with paired spacecraft ^[1]. Each spacecraft carries microwave K-band ranging, accelerometers, GPS receivers, and the Laser Ranging Interferometer technology demonstration ^[1]^[2]. GFZ's German contributions included scientific analysis, mission operations support, Laser Ranging Interferometer development, data products, and laser retroreflectors; the launch was a NASA-contracted SpaceX Falcon 9 flight from Vandenberg ^[1]^[3].

Full specification

All fields

current status	operational
operator	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
launch vehicle	spacex-falcon-9
Launched	2018-05-22
orbit type	Twin near-polar low Earth orbiters separated by about 220 km
tasking supported	false
current geographic priority	Global
Last updated	2026-06-08
claim status	agency-sourced

Where this fits, supply chain

Compositional position

this ——— K-band Ranging Instrument (KBR) payload

this ——— SuperSTAR Accelerometer payload

this ——— GRACE-FO Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) payload

this ——— JPL GRACE and GRACE-FO Mascon RL06.3Mv04 data product

JPL GRACE and GRACE-FO Mascon RL06 Processing Chain ——— this related

Satellite gravimetry → demonstrated K-band Ranging Instrument (KBR)

Satellite gravimetry → demonstrated SuperSTAR Accelerometer

Satellite gravimetry → demonstrated GRACE-FO Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI)

Sources

[1]GRACE-FO mission, NASA JPLagency doc2026-06-08
[2]GRACE-FO spacecraft and instruments, NASA JPLagency doc2026-06-08
[3]GRACE-FO project, GFZagency doc2026-06-08

Cite https://eo-atlas.org/missions/grace-fo Markdown twin → Field definitions → Suggest a correction →