Space Lasers for Climate Change Research

GRACE-FO is a twin-satellite mission launched in 2018 that measures Earth’s gravity more precisely than ever before. It does that by monitoring the distance between the satellites down to nanometers with a new laser instrument developed at the institute. GRACE-FO and its predecessor provide a 23-year history of Earth’s gravity field, revealing dramatic changes in ice mass and groundwater levels. The scientists at the institute analyze data from current missions and help develop future climate missions.