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