Science
GRACE-FO 2
Earth Gravity Field Science Satellite (Water & Ice Monitoring) · NASA / DLR (Germany)
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GRACE-FO 2, the trailing twin to GRACE-FO 1, following 137 miles behind in the same orbit. The pair's entire mission depends on precisely measuring how that distance stretches and shrinks by fractions of a millimeter as they pass over regions of slightly stronger or weaker gravity — revealing, essentially, where mass on Earth has moved. Monthly gravity maps built from this data have been cited in over 4,300 scientific papers tracking groundwater depletion, ice sheet loss, and sea level rise.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 275–284 mi (443–457 km)
- Inclination
- 89.0°
- One orbit
- 93.4 minutes15.4 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 43477
- Int’l designator
- 2018-047B
- Launched
- 2018
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.
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