Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 23, 2026

Next Generation Gravity Mission

The Next Generation Gravity Mission (NGGM) is a proposed Earth observation satellite mission under development by the European Space Agency's FutureEO programme. If approved, it will launch in 2032 as a pair of satellites flying in the same low Earth orbit in an in-line formation, separated by approximately 100 km. The satellites will precisely map Earth's gravity field by monitoring short-period changes in the distance between them using laser interferometry.

Last revised
Jul 23, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
291 w
Citations
9
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Next Generation Gravity Mission
Operator European Space Agency
Start of mission
Launch date2032 (planned)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemgeocentric
Altitude400 km
InclinationBetween 65° and 75°

The Next Generation Gravity Mission (NGGM) is a proposed Earth observation satellite mission under development by the European Space Agency's FutureEO programme.12 If approved, it will launch in 2032 as a pair of satellites flying in the same low Earth orbit in an in-line formation, separated by approximately 100 km.3 The satellites will precisely map Earth's gravity field by monitoring short-period changes in the distance between them using laser interferometry.4

NGGM will form part of the MAss Change and Geosciences International Constellation (MAGIC) together with NASA's GRACE-C pair of satellites.567 The MAGIC satellite constellation is intended to extend the more than two decades long time series of monthly gravity field models by the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions.8 If implemented, NGGM will be the first Mission of Opportunity in the FutureEO programme.9

See also

See also

References

References

  1. "FutureEO at ESA's Ministerial Council 2025". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
  2. "NGGM Phase A Study". www.dlr.de. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
  3. Haagmans, Roger; Siemes, Christian; Massotti, Luca; Carraz, Olivier; Silvestrin, Pierluigi (2020-10-01). "ESA's next-generation gravity mission concepts". Rendiconti Lincei. Scienze Fisiche e Naturali. 31 (1): 15–25. doi:10.1007/s12210-020-00875-0. ISSN 1720-0776.
  4. Bender, P. L.; Conklin, J. W.; Wiese, D. N. (2025). "Short-Period Mass Variations and the Next Generation Gravity Mission". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 130 (1) e2024JB030290. doi:10.1029/2024JB030290. ISSN 2169-9356.
  5. "Citation for Next Generation Gravity Mission Mission Requirements Document". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
  6. Next Generation Gravity Mission design activities within the Mass Change and Geoscience International Constellation
  7. NEXT GENERATION GRAVITY MISSION (NGGM): STATO DELLA MISSIONE
  8. "S-NGGM | Studies for Next Generation Gravity Missions". www.gfz.de. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
  9. "ESA Project MAGIC/Science". www.asg.ed.tum.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-11-08.