In the following table the most important events during the realization and operation of GRACE-FO are chronologically listed.
2024
15.04.2024 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 25.
05.02.2024 | The next GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting will take place from October 8 to 10, 2024 at GFZ in Potsdam (Germany). Further information will follow in the course of the next months.
2023
29.08.2023 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 24.
27.07.2023: The GRACE/GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting 2023 web site is now open. On this site you will find registration and abstract links, and important logistical details. Please help the Organizing Commitee to plan a productive and efficient meeting by submitting your abstracts and registering your participation sooner than later. Travel and accommodation options can be found on the meeting site.
Location:
UCAR Center Green, 3080 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
Note: Remote live participation via Zoom is available (registration still required!)
Meeting Dates:
October 16-18, 2023
Important Dates / Deadlines:
Abstract Submission Deadline: October 2, 2023
Registration Deadline: October 5, 2023
Presentation Upload Deadline: October 10, 2023
Meeting Dates: October 16-18; 8:30am-5:30pm MDT
Reception: Monday, October 16th from 6:00pm-8:00pm MDT (Center Green)
11.05.2023 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 23. The 2023 GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting will take place in Boulder, CO, USA from Oct 16 – 18. A summary of the 2022 GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting, which took place October 18-20 at GFZ Potsdam, is available in NASA’s Earth Observer Jan/Feb newsletter issue.
2022
05.12.2022 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 22. Proceedings and presentations from the recent 2022 GRACE/GRACE-FO STM (Oct 18-20 at GFZ, Potsdam) are available online.
23.11.2022 | The ESA Council at Ministerial level held in Paris gave green light to realize a Mass-change And Geoscience International Constellation (MAGIC). MAGIC will be a double pair constellation based on the polar flying GRACE-FO successor launched end of 2027 and a further advanced pair planned to be launched in 2031 into an inclined orbit. This will significantly increase the spatial and temporal resolution of mass transport products.
10.11.2022 | In support of gap-less data continuity of gravity and mass change observations, the German Bundestag has funded the German mission elements for a GRACE-FO successor (e.g., Mass Change Mission). This mission shall be realized again in US-German partnership.
20.10.2022 | The GRACE/GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting (GSTM) 2022 took place at the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany, from 18 to 20 October 2022. The meeting was held in a hybrid format with a total number of 167 participants (on-site: 91, online: 76). Further background is available at the meeting website https://www.gstm-2022.eu.
20.08.2022| The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 21.
20.08.2022 | The GRACE-FO Science Team Meetingis coming up! It will take place from Oct 18-20, 2022 at GFZ (Potsdam, Germany). We are planning for a hybrid meeting (in-person and remote participation options). Abstract submission will be open from Aug 22, 2022 through Sep 11, 2022. Please visit the meeting website (https://www.gstm-2022.eu) for current information and GSTM-SOC contact information.
30.05.2022| The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 20 .
15.05.2022 | The GSTM2022 will take place in person on 18-20 October 2022. The associated website with important dates and background information will be online soon.
15.03.2022| The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 19.
2021
26.11.2021 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 18.
05.10.2021 | The GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting 2022 will take place at GFZ Potsdam (Germany) in the week of October 17-21, 2022. The way (online, hybrid, in person) will be decided depending on the development of the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
19.09.2021 | The 2021 GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting will take place on October 12-13 and 19-20 as a virtual meeting. Further information is available at https://sites.google.com/view/gfo-stm2021/ .
07.06.2021 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in newsletter Nr. 17. The two GRACE-FO satellites are doing well and on May-22, 2021 the project celebrated their 3rd launch anniversary! We are on track to extend the GRACE data record by 3 years (with the May-2021 fields), and the combined GRACE/GRACE-FO Mass Change climate data record is now extending into its 20th year. As we’re entering the summer of 2021, increased vaccine distribution and availability makes us hopeful that there is a viable pathway out of this pandemic. Still, large uncertainties around Covid and related travel restrictions continue to make planning for an in-person fall GSTM challenging. We currently plan for a hybrid meeting with both in-person and remote participation options during Oct 5-8, 2021 – please mark your calendars accordingly. The meeting location is not yet finalized, but will be in the US. We will communicate updates as they become available, we appreciate your patience. In any case, the GSTM2021 abstract solicitation will open towards early August.
17.02.2021 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 16.
2020
09.12.2020 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 15.
08.12.2020 | The GCOS (Global Climate Observing System) Steering Committee has accepted a proposal of establishing Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) as a new Essential Climate Variable (ECV). This is an important milestone of further establishing and recognizing time-variable gravity and mass change as a fundamental long-term climate indicator.
16.09.2020 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 14.
28.07.2020 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 13.
27.07.2020 | Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and associated disruptions, the conventional layout for an in-person GRACE/GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting at GFZ is unfortunately not possible. Instead, the Scientific Organizing Committee is planning for an online meeting (Oct 26-30, 2020). Information how the GSTM2020 will be conducted is now available at www.gstm-2020.eu. Abstract submission and registration will start on Monday, August 24th, 2020.
02.06.2020 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 12.
11.03.2020 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 11.
27.01.2020 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 9&10.
27.01.2020 | The GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting 2020 (GSTM) will be held at the German Research Center for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany. Further information will be made available approximately in May 2020 on a dedicated web site.
2019
17.11.2019 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 8.
17.10.2019 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 7.
08.-10.10.2019 | The GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting (GSTM) will be held at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA, USA. Further information is available at https://sites.google.com/view/gfostm2019/.
27.09.2019 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 6.
25.08.2019 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 5.
30.07.2019 | The GRACE-FO Project is pleased to announce the release of the first Level 1A/B data from the Laser Ranging Interferometer technology demonstration instrument, available now at NASA’s PO.DAAC and GFZ’s Information System and Data Center (ISDC). This release contains products for 2018-06-11 (first instrument power-on) through 2019-07-05, and LRI products beyond 2019-07-05 will be made available in synch with the nominal Level-1 data releases. Please refer to the Level-1 Release Notes (at NASA’s PO.DAAC or GFZ’s ISDC) for important information, and to the Level-1 handbook (at PO.DAAC or ISDC) for a detailed description of data formats and processing conventions. This first LRI data release is based on JPL Level-1 processing software release version ‘v04’. The GRACE-FO Project team welcomes user feedback on LRI Level-1 data quality and performance in support of efforts to further refine data processing of this novel and exciting new ranging measurement.
20.07.2019 | The In-Orbit Performance of the GRACE Follow-on Laser Ranging Interferometer has been published.
19.07.2019 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 4.
01.07.2019 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter Nr. 3.
12.06.2019 | GRACE-FO Science Data System Level-2 data products from JPL, GFZ and CSR are now available at NASA’s Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC) and GFZ’s Information System and Data Center (ISDC). This first product release includes nine monthly gravity field products, as well as the corresponding atmosphere and ocean dealiasing (AOD) background model data, spanning the period from June-2018 through April-2019. Subsequent monthly Level-2 products will be available at PO.DAAC and ISDC on a monthly basis starting in July-2019. The Level-2 data set release notes and documentation for a detailed description of the data, file formats, updates (w.r.t. GRACE) , conventions, as well as important processing recommendations are available at https://podaac-tools.jpl.nasa.gov/drive/files/allData/gracefo/docs and ftp://isdcftp.gfz-potsdam.de/grace-fo/DOCUMENTS. The GRACE Follow-On Project team is looking forward to presentations and discussions of data quality, findings and analyses at the Science Team Meeting in Pasadena this fall (Oct 8-10, 2019).
23.05.2019 | GRACE-FO Level-1 data products are now available at NASA’s Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC) and GFZ’s Information System and Data Center (ISDC). This first product release includes all Level-1 data necessary for the generation of Level-2 gravity field products. The data span the period from June 2018, initial power-up of the instruments during in orbit check out (IOC), through early May 2019, the most recent data available in the operational Phase E. Subsequent Level-1 products will be available at PO.DAAC and ISDC approximately every 7 days starting on May-30. Corresponding Level-2 gravity field products will begin to be available starting on June-10, with the complete first mission year delivered to each data center by end of June. Subsequent Level-2 monthly gravity field products will be available at PO.DAAC and ISDC on a regular basis starting in July 2019. Please refer to Level-1 release notes and documentation for a detailed description of the data, file formats, updates, and conventions.
22.03.2019 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter for January-March 2019.
28.01.2019 | The GRACE-FO mission exited Phase-D (in-orbit-checkout) and entered Phase-E and the beginning of science operations.
2018
08.12.2018 | The GRACE-FO mission and Science Data System status and further plans are described in the monthly newsletter for October/November 2018
02.11.2018 | After a detailed investigation by a team of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the backup IPU in the Microwave Instrument was successfully powered up on GFO-2 on 19 Oct. The backup IPU is performing nominally and satellite data collection could be re-established. Further details can be found at GFZ or NASA.
14.09.2018 | The GRACE-FO mission has not acquired science data since July 19 due to an anomaly with a component (the Instrument Processing Unit) of the Microwave Instrument (MWI) on one of the GRACE-FO spacecraft (GFO-2). The mission team is completing its investigation into the cause of the anomaly. The mission team plans to switch to a backup system in the MWI end of September. Following the switch-over, GRACE-FO is expected to quickly resume science data collection. Further information is available at GFZ or JPL .
14.06.2018 | First light for GRACE Follow-On Laser Interferometer: For the first time, laser interferometry between two satellites in space measures their 220-kilometer distance to nanometer precision. Further details can be found here.
29.05.2018 | K-band ranging between both satellites has been started. Further details can be found here.
28.05.2018 | On both satellites the accelerometers have been successfully switched on.
26.05.2018 | The Launch and Early Operations Phase has been successfully and untimely completed. The mean altitude (above 6378.1 km) of the satellites was 491.5 km, the distance between the satellites 216.7 km with a drift of 0.4 km/d. On both satellites the USO (Ultra Stable Oscillator), GPS and MWA (Microwave Assembly) have been switched on.
22.05.2018 | Successfull Launch of GRACE-FO at 19:47 UTC which was a rideshare with 5 Iridium-Next satellites on a SpaceX/Falcon-9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch event (in German language) at GFZ can be viewed here.
27.03.2018 | Successful Key Decision Point E Review to transit in phase E (KDP-E).
13.03.2018 | The Mission Readiness Review (MRR) was successfully passed at NASA headquarter in Washington.
18./19.01.2018 | The Operations Readiness Review (ORR) was successfully passed at DLR/GSOC in Oberpfaffenhofen.
2017
12.12.2017 | Transport of the satellites, the MSD and further equipment from IABG in Ottobrunn to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Further details can be found here.
10.11.2017 | Press conference on the successfully completion of the environmental qualification tests of the twin GRACE-FO satellites at IABG in Ottobrunn. Further details can be found here
07./08.11.2017 | The Pre-ship Review (PSR) has been successfully performed at Airbus Defence and Space in Friedrichshafen.
12.10.2017 | The Science Data System Readiness Review has been successfully performed at UTCSR in Austin/Texas.
19.09.2017 | The separation test between the MSD and the spacecraft dummies has been successfully performed.
11.-15.09.2007 | The EGSIEM Autumn School on Satellite Gravimetry Applications took place in Potsdam, Germany at GFZ, the German Research Centre for Geosciences. Around 45 participants from 16 different countries (plus 12 lecturers) enjoyed a very interesting week in Potsdam. In various lectures and practical (computer) exercises they learned how to handle the GRACE and future GRACE-FO data and how to use the information for various geophysical applications. Further information is available at www.egsiem.eu/139-potsdam-autumn-school
18.07.2017 | The mechanical fit check between the SpaceX Payload Adapter Ring and the MSD was successfully performed.
17.07.2017 | The mechanical fit check between the MSD and the two GRACE-FO spacecraft has been successfully performed.
07.07.2017 | The MSD was delivered to IABG.
07.02.2017 | The Multi Satellite Dispenser (MSD) Critical Design Review (CDR) has been successfully performed at Airbus Defence and Space S.A. (CASA Espacio premises), Madrid, Spain.
2016
14.11.2016 | As the Russian/Ukraine Dnepr and corresponding launch services can no longer be provided by the International Space Company Kosmotras (ISCK), the joint NASA-GFZ Joint Steering Group has decided to exchange the GRACE-FO launcher. The corresponding contract was signed today by the Board of GFZ and Iridium Satellite LLC. This includes a "Rideshare" between GRACE-FO and 5 Iridium-Next satellites on a Space-X Falcon-9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California within the launch period December 2017 till February 2018. This also includes a contract with Airbus D&S who will build the necessary Multi Satellite Dispenser and will perform the Launch Service Management under contract of GFZ. Further information can be found here.
01.11.2016 | The Environmental Test Campaign for FM1 has begun at IABG.
28.10.2016 | Airbus D&S has completed the first of the twin GRACE-FO satellites. More infos can be found here.
21./22.09.2016 | The Environmental Test Readiness Review was successfully passed at at the IABG (Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft mbH) in Ottobrun.
2015
08/2015-10/2016 | Integration of the instruments and satellites at Airbus D&S
21.-22.07.2015 | The System Integration Review (SIR) was sucessfully passed at Airbus in Immenstaad.
26.05.2015 | Airbus Defence and Space begins building GRACE-FO climate satellites. Further information can be found here.
29./30.04.2015 | The Mission Operations System (MOS) Critical Design Review (CDR) has been successfully accomplished at GFZ/GSOC in Oberpfaffenhofen.
26.03.2015 | The joint US/D Science Data System (SDS) Critical Design Review (CDR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
25.-26.02.2015 | The 5. Launcher Progress Meeting was held at STI.
02.-05.02.2015 | The Project Critical Design Review (CDR) was sucessfully passed at Airbus in Immenstaad.
2014
19.-20.11.2014 | The 4. Launcher Progress Meeting was held at STI.
29.-31.07.2014 | The Launch System Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at STI in Immenstaad.
16.-17.07.2014 | The Mission Operations System (MOS) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at DLR/GSOC in Oberpfaffenhofen.
26.06.2014 | The joint US/D Science Data System (SDS) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
05.06.2014 | The joint US/D Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) Critical Design Review (CDR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
15.05.2014 | The Microwave Instrument (MWI) Critical Design Review (CDR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
02.05.2014 | A European GRACE-FO Science Team Meeting took place during the EGU conference in Vienna.
28.-30.04.2014 | The 3. Launcher Progress Meeting was held at STI.
19.02.2014 | The 2. Launcher Progress Meeting took place at STI.
11.02.2014 | The Board of the German Research Centre for Geosciences has signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Jr. to mutually realize the follow-on mission of GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). The corresponding press release can be found here.
21.-24.01.2014 | The Project Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was sucessfully passed at Airbus in Immenstaad. The transition into phase C happened on March 3, 2014.
2013
19.12.2013 | The 1. Launcher Progress Meeting was accomplished at STI.
16.12.2013 | The LRI Maturity Assessment Review took place at JPL.
06.12.2013 | The contract to provide the DNEPR launcher and corresponding launch services has been signed by GFZ and the International Space Company Kosmotras (ISCK).
18.-19.11.2013 | The Accelerometer Preliminary Design Review was held at ONERA, France.
28.10.2013 | The Flight System Star Tracker Mission Readiness Review took place at the Danish Technical University (DTU), Copenhagen.
22.10.2013 | A GRACE-FO Science Data System Meeting took place in Austin, Texas, in forefront of the GSTM2013.
21.-22.10.2013 | The Launch Vehicle Kick-off Meeting was held at STI in Immenstaad.
18.10.2013 | The On-Board Computer (OBC) Mission Readiness Review was held at Thales-Alenia, Italy.
15.-16.10.2013 | The Power and Thermal Preliminary Design Review was held at Astrium GmbH in Immenstaad.
02.-03.10.2013 | The Flight Software Preliminary Design Review was held in Bristol, England.
03.09.2013 | The European GRACE-FO Science Team Kick-off Meeting took place during the IAG2013 conference in Potsdam.
16.-17.07.2013 | The Accelerometer Electronics Preliminary Design Review was held at Onera in Paris.
20.06.2013 | GFZ and NASA have jointly selected the DNEPR rocket to launch GRACE-FO in August 2017.
17.06.2013 | The funds for the German participation in GRACE-FO have now been approved by BMBF. Further information can be found here.
30.-31.05 2013 | The joint US/D Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
16.05.2013 | Firm agreement by BMBF to GFZ to provide funds for the realization of the German mission elements within time frame 01.10.2012 and 31.08.2017.
06.-07.05.2013 | The Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) Tripple Mirror Assembly (TMA) Subsystem Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at Cassidian, Oberkochen, and SpaceTech, Immenstaad.
29.04.2013 | The Microwave Instrument (MWI) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
23.-26.04.2013 | The Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) Optical Bench System (OBS) Subsystem Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at DLR, Berlin, Astrium, Friedrichshafen, and SpaceTech, Immenstaad.
22.04.2013 | The Microwave Instrument (MWI) Preliminary Design Review was held at JPL.
15.03.2013 | GRACE-FO Science Data System (SDS) Kick-off Meeting, JPL, Pasadena
14.03.2013 | The Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) Laser Stabilization Cavity Subsystem Critical Design Review (CDR) has been successfully accomplished at Ball Aerospace.
07.-08.03.2013 | The K-Band Ranging (KBR) Subsystem Mechanical/Thermal Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at Astrium, Friedrichshafen.
28.02.2013 | The Ultra-Stable Oscillator (USO) Critical Design Review (CDR) has been successfully accomplished at the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland/USA.
26.-28.02.2013 | The Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at Astrium, Friedrichshafen.
09.01.2013 | The US Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
2012
29.11.2012 | Astrium will build, as for GRACE, under contract of JPL the GRACE-FO satellites. The corresponding agreement has been signed today in Friedrichshafen. Further informationen you can found at GFZ or at Astrium.
14.11.2012 | The Laser Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at TESAT.
01.11.2012 | The LRI Laser Cavity Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
01.10.2012 | The BMBF assured GFZ of funding of the German project contributions within a Letter of Intent (LOI).
27.09.2012 | The Satellite Structure Inheritance Review has been successfully accomplished at Astrium, Friedrichshafen.
25.09.2012 | The Mass Trim Mechanism (MTE) and Mass Trim Equipment (MTE) Inheritance Review (PDR) have been successfully accomplished at Astrium, Friedrichshafen.
03.09.2012 | Begin of Phase-B
01.-02.08.2012 | German Kick-off Meeting of the Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) at DLR, Bremen
11.07.2012 | The Mission Definition (MDR) and System Requirements Review (SRR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL/NASA.
21.06.2012 | The star camera Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at DTU in Denmark.
19.06.2012 | The S/W Coding Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at Astrium, Friedrichshafen.
15.-16.05.2012 | A delegation of NASA/JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) has visited GFZ to discuss the Memorundum of Understanding between NASA and GFZ and the Cooperative Project Plan between JPL and GFZ in the frame of the GRACE-FO satellite mission. These to contracts and documents describe the roles and responsibilities within the mission. GFZ will be responsible for the launcher and launch services, mission operations, provision of Laser Retro-Reflectors (LRR) for each satellite and contributions to the Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) and the Science Data System developments.
22.03.2012 | The onboard computer (OBC) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at TAS in Milano, Italy.
19.03.2012 | The Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) has been successfully accomplished at Astrium, Toulouse.
01.01.2012 | Begin of Phase-A
2011
28.10.2011 | The Mission Concept Review (MCR) has been successfully accomplished at JPL, Pasadena.
25.10.2011 | State Secretary Schütte (BMBF) assured NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr. the joint funding of German GRACE-FO contributions „Provision of a launcher and launch services, mission operations (with US support), scientific analysis and dissemination, contribution to a joint development of a experimental Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) as well as provision of Laser Retro-Reflectors (LRR) for each satellite“ by BMBF, BMWi, HGF, GFZ and DLR.
20.07.2011 | NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr. invited BMBF, BMWi, HGF, GFZ and DLR to build a GRACE Follow-on mission „GRACE-FO“ again in German-US partnership.
2009
06.10.2009 | Meeting at GFZ in Potsdam of the German-US GRACE partners on invitation of Prof. Hüttl. JPL, UTCSR, Astrium, STI and GFZ decided to jointly work on the realization of GRACE continuation mission.