NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has awarded Airbus a contract to design and build the twin spacecraft for the GRACE-C mission.
GRACE-C stands for Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment-Continuity and is a joint mission of NASA and the German Space Agency that seeks to continue collecting measurements of the Earth’s gravity field to observe changes in the planet’s groundwater, land, oceans and ice sheets, Airbus said Tuesday.
“It is amazing to think that, without looking down at Earth, two satellites more than 200 km away from each other, can tell us how quickly our ice sheets are melting. In environmental monitoring, continuity is key,” said Alain Faure, head of space systems at Airbus.
“The valuable data provided by the previous GRACE missions is testament to their success and it is great news that Airbus continues to be part of this international mission providing the tools to measure how our climate is evolving,” added Faure.
GRACE-C is composed of two satellites, each weighing approximately 600 kilograms and flying around 200 kilometers apart at an altitude of about 500 kilometers. The two identical satellites will feature upgraded avionics and Laser Ranging Interferometer.
The German Space Operations Center will operate the GRACE-C mission, which is expected to launch from the U.S. no earlier than late 2028.