Earth's gravity from space

GRACE logo

The GRACE satellites during component integration in a German clean room.

Between 2002 and 2016, Antarctica shed approximately 125 gigatons of ice per year, causing global sea level to rise by 0.35 millimeters per year.

GRACE mission pre-launch poster

The GRACE satellites are seen at an IABG testing facility in Germany.

GRACE being readied for launch - 2

Twin GRACE spacecraft being deployed from Breeze

GRACE being readied for launch - 1

The twin GRACE satellites are seen in a clean room in Germany in 2002.

The GRACE Intermediate Field 48 (GIF48 from UT-CSR) field model is an improved mean gravity field that combines GRACE observations with terrestrial and ocean gravity information for the small-scale...

GRACE satellites are mounted belly to belly at an IABG testing facility in Germany.

This visualization of a gravity model was created with data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and shows variations in Earth’s gravity field.

Research based on GRACE observations indicates that between 2002 and 2016, Greenland shed approximately 280 gigatons of ice per year.

This animation shows the annual water storage changes over the U.S. from GRACE from 2003 - 2013.

The amount of water stored in the Amazon basin varies from month to month, and can be monitored from space by looking at how it alters Earth's gravity field.

Measuring Earth's Gravity from Space exhibit

The force of gravity not only keeps us from floating away, it also lets NASA study Earth’s water and ice from space. Using a pair of twin satellites named "GRACE," we can monitor our planet’s water.

GRACE on orbit

One of the twin GRACE spacecraft is seen during construction in Germany.

GPS signal occultation by the atmosphere, and the resulting useful data is explained.

This animation illustrates the highs and lows of the Earth's gravity field as water in the basins of the U.S. changes over time.

This image shows the mean annual amplitude of total water storage on Earth in 2007 as measured by GRACE.

One of the twin GRACE satellites, Flight Model 1, is seen on a trolley during construction in Germany.

GRACE on orbit - 1

The original GRACE satellites in a clean room in Germany.