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A text about NASA´s GRACE -FO project , where two small twin satellites will, actually, weigh , the water resources of the Earth. The satellites, soon to be launched, will continue the mission initiated by their predecessor, GRACE.


Grace too, times two.

Within a few weeks NASA and the German Research
Centre for Geosciences (GFC), will launch the
spacecraft, GRACE-FO, into an orbit around the Earth;
two in one, as it consists of two identical twin satellites
functioning as one single instrument; in concept,
design and mission, a continuation of its predecessor,
GRACE, launched in March, 2002, and in service
until October, 2017.

The two satellites will circulate about 137 miles
(220 kilometers) apart, at an altitude of about 305
miles (490 kilometers).

According to GRACE-FO science lead and director
of NASA´s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California,
Michel Watkins, the objective of this mission can
hardly be overestimated: to measure the weight of
the Planet´s water; to trace its movement, and
thereby, be able to monitor "monthly changes in
the distribution of mass within and among Earth´s
atmosphere, oceans, land and ice sheets, as well as
within the solid Earth itself."

The technique used is signified by an original
ingenuity that brings "gracefulness" to mind;
to actually put the different phases of water on
Earth under a scale; to meassure its mass:
as the gravitational pull of massive features on
the ground, "such as a mountain range or
underground aquifer", affects the distance
between the two satellites, these changes will
be measured by a continual exchange of
microwave signals.

Combined with information from GPS and
"onboard accelerometers record/of/non-
gravitational forces on the spacecraft, such as
atmospheric drag and solar radiation", it´s
possible to continually map, "regional changes
in global gravity and corresponding near-surface
mass variations,"

These observations, already initiated by
the predecessor, GRACE, provide us with new
insights into Earth´s "ever-changing" water cycle;
data essential to our understanding of the climate,
its present rapid changes, and not the least to what
degree they are caused by and interact with human
activites.

The results are far-reaching and have already proved
valuable, in improving water resource management
within a number of fields; implications "critical to
every aspect of life on Earth."

According to Frank Webb, GRACE-FO project
scientist at JPL, NASA´s Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
the GRACE project brought new and invaluable
insights into Earth´s water resources, on both global
and regional levels.
Michael Watkins, NASA´s science lead and director
at JPL, says that, "GRACE-FO allows us to continue
the revolutionary legacy of GRACE."
expressing confidence in that there are more
"unexpected and innovative" discoveries ahead.

The imagination of it, to weigh the Earth; to weigh
its life-giving water, what a beautiful thought.
Grace, they couldn´t have given it a better name.

All over the World, on a both national and intenational
level, NASA, ESA (The European Space Agency),
Russia, China, Japan, India, Israel and many more
countries, there are peaceful space projects already
at work, or under way; missions that will greatly
enhance our understanding of, and ability to handle,
the intricate processes of the Earth.
Also, there seem to be a growing and mutual understanding
that the most successful way to accomplish that, is, together.

------------------------------------------

All quotations in the text are from NASA´s News-letter,
April 30, 2018, and the article, "Twin spacecraft to weigh in
on Earth´s changing water",
except, "GRACE-FO allows us to continue
the revolutionary legacy of GRACE.", and "unexpected and
innovative"; both in the 8th paragraph", are from
NASA´s article March 15, 2017, "GRACE Mission: 15 years
of watching on Earth." (The article´s last paragraph.)

The quotation marks on, "gracefulness", in the fourth
paragraph, are my own.



NASA: National Aeronatics and Space Administration.
GRACE: The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment.
GRACE-FO: GRACE Follow-On.
Both GRACE and GRACE-FO, are parts of NASA´s Earth
System Science Pathfinder Program.
GFC: German Research Centre for Geosciences.
DLR: German Areospace Agency.




Övriga genrer av Olof Lagerhorn VIP
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Publicerad 2018-05-16 15:47



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2018-05-26

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