This page contains interesting and/or useful information on flight operations and the orbit and attitude of the twin GRACE satellites.

GRACE Flight Operations are carried out by a multi-national team from US and Germany. The German Space Operations Center (GSOC), with funding support from DLR and GFZ, operates the satellites from its facilities in Oberpfaffenhofen (near Munich) in Germany. GFZ also uses its antenna at Ny Alesund for satellite monitoring and real-time radio occultation analysis, and supports the Deputy Operations Mission Manager. Starting in 2011, ESA is also supporting the ground segment operations at GSOC, in its support of continuation of measurement of mass redistribution in the Earth System. The operations mission management is from JPL; science operations management is at UTCSR; both of which are funded by NASA. Operations Team members come from JPL, Space Systems/Loral, UTCSR, Astrium and GSOC.

In general, the GRACE satellites collect science data continuously, for subsequent processing by the GRACE Science Data System.

Click here for a brief daily update on the orbital configuration, and past history.

Click here for regional ground track plots for any month of a year in mission.

Up-to-date description of flight events is reported monthly in the GRACE Science Data System Newsletter. This newsletter is available by subscription (email: grace@podaac.jpl.nasa.gov), or can be downloaded from PODAAC or from ISDC.

See the link on left for more details on the swap maneuver carried out in December 2005.