United States Air Force
Gravity Probe B
Delta II 7920-10C
SUCCESS
Success
Tuesday, April 20, 2004 · 16:57 UTC
Mission
/01Gravity Probe B (GP-B) was a satellite-based experiment to test two unverified predictions of general relativity: the geodetic effect and frame-dragging. This was to be accomplished by measuring, very precisely, tiny changes in the direction of spin of four gyroscopes contained in an Earth-orbiting satellite at 650 km (400 mi) altitude, crossing directly over the poles.
Mission Type
Astrophysics
Orbit
Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Probability
N/A
Status
Launch Successful
Vehicle & Pad
/02Rocket
Delta II 7920-10C
Variant: 7920-10C
Launch Pad
Space Launch Complex 2W
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
34.756° N, 120.622° W
71
Pad Launches
617
Location Launches
1060
Agency Launches
14
Orbital This Year