Beginning of 2009 ESA offered an Invitation to Tender (ITT) on a study for a Next Generation Gravity Mission (NG2). Two proposals have been accepted and had kick-off in October 2009. The first is led by Thales Alenia (Italy) and was performed together with TU Munich, University of Stuttgart and TU Delft. The second was led by Astrium (Germany) with scientific partners from University Bonn and GFZ. Major tasks were a) to develop a gravity simulator, consisting of a Forward, Backward and Satellite Simulation Module, capable to generate and analyze various instrument data and errors (e.g. SST, accelerometer, star camera data) based on ESA provided time variable background models as well as b) to use the simulator to investigate various mission options (e.g. alternative orbits such as Pendulum or Cartwheel or the use of Laser instead of Microwave links) to derive increased resolution and accuracy. The Final Presentation was in February 2011 at ESTEC.

Project Partners:

• Astrium, Friedrichshafen
• Section 1.2 of Department 1 Geodesy and Remote Sensing, Helmholtz Center Potsdam, German Research Center for Geosciences
• Institute for Geodesy and Geoinformation of the University Bonn

Project Duration:

• 01/2009-02/2011

Funding:

• ESA