1. Home
  2. GPM Core Observatory

GPM Core Observatory

High Gain Antenna Deployed JacobAdmin Fri, 02/28/2014
The GPM Core Observatory continues power positive, stable on the sun line and communicating with the GPM Mission Operations Center at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The spacecraft magnetic torquer bar polarity was adjusted to eliminate rotational momentum gain. Star trackers were turned on and the High Gain Antenna was successfully deployed. Within the next day or two, the spacecraft controllers at NASA Goddard will begin to use the antenna to communicate with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System for commands from the ground, data and health and safety information

GPM Power Positive, Stable, and Communicating

The GPM spacecraft is power positive, stable on the sun line and communicating with the GPM Mission Operations Center (MOC) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The GPM flight control teams at NASA Goddard are studying a situation with the spacecraft where the satellite is gaining a small amount of rotational momentum. In a normal state, there are environmental forces on the spacecraft that are corrected by the momentum wheels and magnetic torquer bars. At this time, the momentum wheels are being used more than expected. This situation does not pose any threat to the health of

NASA & JAXA Launch GPM Satellite

NASA & JAXA Launch Satellite to Measure Global Rain and Snow
Thursday, February 27, 2014
The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory, a joint Earth-observing mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), thundered into space at 1:37 p.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 27 (3:37 a.m. JST Friday, Feb. 28) from Japan. A Japanese H-IIA rocket with the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory onboard, is seen launching from the Tanegashima Space Center in Tanegashima, Japan. Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls The four-ton spacecraft launched aboard a Japanese H-IIA rocket from Tanegashima Space...
Read More

GPM Launches from Tanegashima Space Center

GPM Launches from Tanegashima Space Center
Image Caption
GPM Launches from Tanegashima Space Center

A Japanese H-IIA rocket with the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory onboard, is seen launching from the Tanegashima Space Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. The GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

GPM Liftoff

GPM Liftoff
Image Caption
GPM Liftoff
A Japanese H-IIA rocket with the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory onboard, is seen launching from the Tanegashima Space Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. The GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

GPM Liftoff and Seperation

1:55pm EST, 2/27/14 We have spacecraft separation! The GPM Core Observatory is flying on its own in orbit. The bolts holding it to the second stage sucessfully severed and the second stage has separated. The GPM spacecraft is flying on battery power until its two solar arrays deploy shortly. 1:52pm EST, 2/27/14 The nosecone fairing that protected the GPM Core Observatory through the atmosphere has safely separated and fallen away. 1:47pm EST, 2/27/14 The GPM Core Observatory has begun transmitting telemetry on to Mission Operations Control at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. 1

H-IIA Rocket Rolls Out to the Launch Pad

GPM's H-IIA Rocket Rolls Out to the Launch Pad
Thursday, February 27, 2014
The H-IIA rocket with the Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory aboard rolled out to Launch Pad 1 at 1:04 p.m. on Feb. 27 (Japan time) at Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. The rocket is scheduled to lift off during a launch window that opens at 3:37 a.m. (JST) on Feb. 28. (1:37 p.m. Feb. 27 EST). A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to its launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Image Credit: NASA/BIll Ingalls After an overnight rainstorm, clear skies and a...
Read More

GPM on the Launchpad

GPM on the Launchpad
Image Caption
GPM on the Launchpad

A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to launch pad 1 of the Tanegashima Space Center, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. Once launched, the GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

GPM Rolllout to Launchpad

GPM Rolllout to Launchpad
Image Caption
GPM Rolllout to Launchpad

A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory is seen as it rolls out to launch pad 1 of the Tanegashima Space Center, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, Tanegashima, Japan. Once launched, the GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Subscribe to GPM Core Observatory