Name of Satellite, Alternate Names |
Grace 1 (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, "Tom and Jerry") |
Country of Operator/Owner |
Germany/USA |
Operator/Owner |
GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ)/Center for Space Research, University of Texas |
Users |
Civil |
Purpose |
Earth Science |
Class of Orbit |
LEO |
Type of Orbit |
Polar |
Longitude of GEO (degrees) |
0 |
Perigee (km) |
435 |
Apogee (km) |
450 |
Eccentricity |
0.00110091743119266 |
Inclination (degrees) |
89 |
Period (minutes) |
93.4 |
Launch Mass (kg.) |
480 |
Dry Mass (kg.) |
445 |
Power (watts) |
150 |
Date of Launch |
17-03-2002 |
Expected Lifetime |
5 yrs. |
Contractor |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA)/Space Systems/Loral/Astrium GmBH |
Country of Contractor |
Germany/USA |
Launch Site |
Plesetsk Cosmodrome |
Launch Vehicle |
Rokot |
COSPAR Number |
2002-012A |
NORAD Number |
27391 |
Comments |
Map gravitational mini-variations caused by sea-level changes, glaciers and melting/freezing of ice sheets by measuring distance between satellites. |