GRACE

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  1. GRACE Flight Model FM-1 was successfully transported from Friedrichshafen, Germany to Eurockot's payload processing facilities in Plesetsk Cosmodrome; Feb. 13, 2002
  2. The second GRACE spacecraft FM-2 and GSE arrived at Archangel airport; Feb. 14, 2002
  3. The second GRACE satellite FM-2 arrived at Plesetsk Cosmodrom; Feb. 15, 2002
  4. The launch of the GRACE satellites is scheduled at cosmodrome Plesetzk on March 16, 2002 at 09:23:39 GMT; Feb. 15, 2002
  5. Set up of the ground support equipment is complete. The Clean Room is meeting cleanliness requirements; Feb. 17, 2002
  6. GRACE-1 was powered up. All four USO are powered and warming up in preparation for functional testing; Feb. 17, 2002
  7. Astrium completed abbreviated functional tests (AFT) of the satellite avionics on GRACE-1; Feb. 18, 2002
  8. JPL completed AFT's of the K-band ranging system (KBR) and the Accelerometer on GRACE-2; Feb. 18, 2002
  9. Prepared to start of fueling (i.e. pressurization of the tanks with Nitrogen gas.) of GRACE-1. Pressurization to the launch pressure will take approximately five days; Feb. 18, 2002
  10. The post-shipment Abbreviated Functional Tests for both GRACE satellites have been performed and successfully passed. All systems are functioning nominally; Feb. 19, 2002
  11. Pressurization (i.e. fueling) of the two nitrogen tanks on each satellite has begun. This is a slow operation and will continue until at least L-23 days; Feb. 19, 2002
  12. Fueling of the GRACE-1 satellite with cold gas (nitrogen) completed; Feb. 20, 2002
  13. Fueling of both GRACE satellites with cold gas (nitrogen) completed; Feb. 21, 2002
  14. Breeze (the third stage of the launch vehicle) is being moved by rail to the fueling facility which is about 40 km from the integration facility Mirny; Feb. 23, 2002
  15. All satellite systems are in the final flight configuration, and have been switched off for the last time on Earth. The satellites are ready to be mounted to the dispenser, to the Breeze, and then continuing to the launch pad; Feb. 24, 2002
  16. Since 24 February, all satellite systems have been in the final flight configuration, and are ready to continuing to launch; Feb. 26, 2002
  17. The GRACE satellites are now declared to be in a state of readiness to proceed with the next step toward launch, this decision was affirmed by NASA GSFC today; Feb. 26, 2002
  18. Breeze (the third stage of the launch vehicle) is scheduled for fueling today; Feb. 26, 2002
  19. The Project is on schedule for launch on 16 March 2002; Feb. 26, 2002<
  20. The GRACE satellites remain 'declared to be in a state of readiness' to proceed toward launch; Feb. 27, 2002
  21. Astrium is preparing to the satellites for mounting on the dispenser; Feb. 27, 2002
  22. Breeze (the third stage of the launch vehicle) is being loaded with fuel; Feb. 27, 2002
  23. The project is on schedule for launch on March 16, 2002; Feb. 27, 2002
  24. GRACE steering board confirmed on today`s telecon launch date: March 16 at 9:23 am UTC; Feb. 27, 2002
  25. The two GRACE satellites are fully integrated on the Multi-Satellite Dispenser (MSD); Mar. 1, 2002
  26. Work at the Cosmodrome proceeds step by step toward launch on 16 March at 9:23 UTC; Mar.2, 2002
  27. The twin GRACE satellites are now mounted on the third stage of the Rockot launch vehicle; Mar. 3, 2002
  28. The twin GRACE satellites are now mounted on the third stage of the Rockot launch vehicle and enclosed within the faring that protects them as the rocket ascends through the atmosphere; Mar. 4, 2002
  29. The twin GRACE satellites are now enclosed within the faring on the Breeze stage; Mar. 5, 2002
  30. The next major step is to move the 'upper composite' assemble to the pad and mount it on stage 1 and 2 of the rocket. This is planned for L-7 days; Mar. 5, 2002
  31. The temperature inside the faring is being maintained, and satellite batteries are being trickle charged from the bunker; Mar. 10, 2002
  32. The forecast is for good weather at Plesetsk Area on Friday. The project hopes for the same on Saturday; Mar. 11, 2002
  33. Stacking of the 'space head' on the Rockot is complete; Mar. 10, 2002
  34. Preparations are underway for the Launch-2 rehearsal at the launch site in Plesetsk and at the GSOC in Oberpfaffenhofen; Mar. 12, 2002
  35. Today Launch-2 rehearsal at the launch site in Plesetsk and at the GSOC in Oberpfaffenhofen; Mar. 14, 2002
  36. The wind speed in the stratosphere above the launch site has decreased to nominal values. GRACE launch is scheduled for today March 17. Nominal lift-off time is 9:21:32 UTC; Mar. 17, 2002 (7:35 UTC)
  37. Lift off! GRACE launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome: March 17, 2002; 09:21:26.875 UTC; Mar. 17, 2002
  38. Confirmation of nominal upper stage first burn by USSPACECOM; Mar. 17, 2002 10:03 UTC
  39. Successful separation of both GRACE satellites. Satellites have been tracked by Weilheim groundstation; Mar. 17, 2002 10:50 UTC
  40. Both GRACE satellites are in nominal orbit; Mar. 17, 2002 12:00 UTC
  41. The GRACE satellites achieved earth-pointing before the end of the first pass. Temperatures are all good-between 15 and 20 C; Mar. 18, 2002
  42. Ongoing analysis of GPS and Star Camera Data; Mar. 18, 2002
  43. Instrument Processing Unit (IPU) on GRACE 1 has been switched on at 7:30 UTC. First GPS and star camera data look promising; Mar. 18, 2002
  44. Instrument processing Unit (IPU) on GRACE 2 has been switched on at 12:20 UTC; Mar. 18, 2002
  45. On March 18, 2002, 15:55 UTC SLR station Yarragadee has successfully tracked GRACE 1 (31 normal points) and GRACE-B (32 normal points) in one single pass; Mar. 19, 2002
  46. Injection orbital parameters were much better than requested; Mar. 19, 2002
  47. Instrument performance of switched-on GPS, Star Camera Assemblies and Ultra Stable Oscillators look promising; Mar. 19, 2002
  48. All satellite subsystems work very fine; Mar. 19, 2002
  49. Following SLR stations have already tracked GRACE: Yarragadee, Hartebeesthoek, Graz, S. Fernando, Mt. Stromlo; Mar. 20, 2002
  50. The JPL and GFZ POD teams have already processed high precision orbits for GRACE 1 and GRACE 2; Mar. 20, 2002
  51. First drift-stop maneuver for GRACE 2 was performed successfully; Mar. 20, 2002
  52. Both accelerometers have been switched on successfully: GRACE 1 16:40 UTC, GRACE B 22:23 UTC; Mar. 21, 2002
  53. Second drift-stop maneuver for GRACE 2 was performed successfully; Mar. 21, 2002
  54. GRACE 2 executed 180 degree maneuver in yaw to orientate the K-band antenna towards GRACE 1; Mar. 25, 2002
  55. The GRACE K-band ranging system was successfully turned on on March 25. The SNRs look promising; Mar. 26, 2002
  56. GRACE 2 executed perfect Center of Mass (CM) wiggle tests in pitch, roll and yaw. Each test was 180 seconds in duration: 15 oscillations with a period of 12 seconds. The tests were performed at 6:30, 8:00, and 9:30 UTC; Apr. 4, 2002
  57. GRACE 1 executed the Center of Mass (CM) calibration wiggle tests in roll, pitch and yaw at 6:06, 7:40, and 9:06 UTC, respectively; Apr. 4, 2002
  58. GRACE 2 and GRACE 1 performed the K-band ranging system AOCS wiggle tests on April 8 and April 9. The satellite performance during the tests was excellent; Apr. 10, 2002
  59. Instrument Processing Unit Software upload to GRACE 2 completed; Apr. 11, 2002
  60. Both satellites performed the Center of Mass (CM) calibration maneuvers while in Attitude Hold Mode (AHM); Apr. 15, 2002
  61. Onboard Data Handling (OBDH) software upload completed for GRACE-2; Apr. 18, 2002
  62. Onboard Data Handling (OBDH) software upload completed for GRACE-1, Apr. 19, 2002
  63. GRACE-2 performed on April 22, 2002 a 182 second, 2.9 cm/s, drift reversal burn. This maneuver targets a separation distance of 220 km on June 3, 2002; Apr. 23, 2002
  64. Center-of-mass calibration maneuver successfully performed for GRACE-1 on April 29; Apr. 30, 2002
  65. GRACE-2 center of mass calibration maneuver performed on April 25, 2002; Apr. 26, 2002
  66. On both satellites the trim of the center of mass has been performed on May 6; May 7, 2002
  67. A first uncompressed Star Camera Assembly image has been taken by the current head (#2) on May 6 for GRACE-2 to investigate the SCA performance; May 7, 2002
  68. Center of mass calibration maneuvers performed for both spacecrafts on May 7 in order to verify yesterday's CM trim; May 8, 2002
  69. Several uncompressed Star Camera (SCA) images have been taken from both satellites on May 7 in order to analyse SCA performance; May 8, 2002
  70. First issue of the GRACE newsletter available; August 9, 2002
  71. Today GRACE is orbiting Earth since one year; March 17, 2003
  72. Oceanographers catch first wave of gravity mission's success. Read PRESS RELEASE in GRACE newsletter no. 3; July 21, 2003
  73. First GRACE gravity field models are available!; July 25, 2003
  74. The GRACE Science Data System, jointly developed by Jet Propulsion Laboratories (JPL), Pasadena, the University of Texas Center for Space Research (UTCSR), Austin and the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, has released its first science products, the most accurate map of the Earth gravity field on a global scale ever produced from satellite data (visit SCIENCE RESULTS); July 25, 2003
  75. New Combination Gravity Field Model EIGEN-CG01C; June 24, 2004
  76. GRACE data released to public (visit GRACE ISDC); August 9, 2004
  77. First GRACE occultation test results (visit GRACE SCIENCE RESULTS); August 11, 2004
  78. GRACE gravity field model EIGEN-GRACE02S publicly available now (visit GRACE SCIENCE RESULTS); August 9, 2004

(*) After launch GRACE A and GRACE B are named GRACE 1 and GRACE 2



GFZ, GRACE
Oct 29, 2004, webadmin A. Helm