Quick Facts

GRACE-FO Build

Satellite FM1 is shown in December 2016 in a transport fixture at Airbus in Germany before being loaded into a thermal vacuum chamber for testing. Credit: Airbus

The twin satellites of the GRACE-FO mission are identical, built so that either one can lead, or follow, as needed. This helps prolong the life of the spacecraft and their components.

› More about the spacecraft


Spacecraft

Width:
6.36 feet (1.94 meters)

Length:
10.25 feet (3.12 meters)

Height:
2.36 feet (0.72 meters)

Mass:
1,323 pounds (600 kg)


Position

Orbit:
Near polar inclination of 89 degrees

Altitude:
305 miles (490 km)

Distance between spacecraft:
137 miles (220 km) on average


Velocity

Per second: 4.7 miles (7.5 km)
Per hour: 16,800 mph (27,000 km)
Orbits per day: ~15