slide 1 - Illustration of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission. GRACE-FO tracks the evolution of Earth's water cycle by monitoring changes in the distribution of mass on Earth. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

GRACE-FO Resumes Data Collection

GRACE Follow-On has resumed collecting data after completing a switchover to a backup system. Read more ›

slide 2 - Artist's rendering of the twin GRACE-FO satellites in orbit over Earth.

GRACE-FO Satellite Switching to Backup Instrument Processing Unit

NASA's GRACE-FO team plans to switch to a backup system in the Microwave Instrument on one of the twin spacecraft this month. Read more ›

slide 3 - A look under the solar panels of the instruments inside GRACE-FO.

Explore the Spacecraft

Take an interactive tour of GRACE-FO and peek under the solar panels to see the instruments inside the spacecraft that we use to gather the science data of our changing planet. Explore ›

First Laser Light for GRACE Follow-On

The laser ranging interferometer (LRI) instrument has been successfully switched on aboard the recently launched twin U.S./German Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) satellites. Full story ›

slide 5 - GRACE-FO has completed its first mission phase and demonstrated the performance of the precise ranging system that enables its measurements of how mass migrates around Earth.

GRACE-FO Turns on 'Range Finder,' Sees Mountain Effects

GRACE-FO has completed its first mission phase and demonstrated the performance of the precise ranging system that enables its measurements of how mass migrates around Earth. Full story ›

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Tracking Earth's Water in Motion

GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) is continuing GRACE’s legacy of tracking Earth’s water movement across the planet. Monitoring changes in ice sheets and glaciers, underground water storage, the amount of water in large lakes and rivers, and changes in sea level provides a unique view of Earth’s climate and has far-reaching benefits for its people.

Water Storage

Ice Sheets & Glaciers

Sea Level

Solid Earth

Tracking Earth's Water in Motion

GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) is continuing GRACE’s legacy of tracking Earth’s water movement across the planet. Monitoring changes in ice sheets and glaciers, underground water storage, the amount of water in large lakes and rivers, and changes in sea level provides a unique view of Earth’s climate and has far-reaching benefits for its people.

Water Storage

Ice Sheets & Glaciers

Sea Level

Solid Earth

More Headlines

June 13, 2018

Ramp-Up in Antarctic Ice Loss Speeds Sea Level Rise

Antarctic ice losses have tripled since 2012, raising global sea levels by 0.12 inch (3 millimeters) in that timeframe alone, finds a new NASA/ESA-funded climate assessment.
May 17, 2018

NASA Satellites Reveal Major Shifts in Global Freshwater

NASA scientists used GRACE data to identify regional trends of freshwater movement, and combined that information with data from other satellites, climate models and precipitation measurements to determine the causes of major regional trends in freshwater storage.
March 29, 2018

NASA Renews Focus on Earth's Frozen Regions

In 2018, NASA will intensify its focus on one of the most critical but remote parts of our changing planet with the launch of GRACE-FO and ICESat-2, and an array of airborne campaigns.

Featured Multimedia

GRACE-FO Launch, Long Exposure

A long exposure of the GRACE-FO launch from Vandenberg
GRACE-FO Launch, Sky and Sea

The rocket carrying GRACE-FO lifts off into a blue sky, with the Pacific Ocean beneath it.
Rocket Flames

Flames from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching GRACE-FO into orbit.

GRACE Data

After GRACE-FO launches and all instruments are checked out in early 2018, we will begin delivering monthly surface mass anomaly grids.

Learn more

GRACE Tellus

GRACE Tellus provides user-friendly Level-3 data grids of monthly surface mass changes, with most geophysical corrections applied, to analyze changes in the mass of Earth's water, ice and land.

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